Richland beacon., 1873-05-03
The Condor.

THIS greatest of unclcan birds has been |
singuarly unfortunate in the hands OF the
curious and scientific. Fifty years have
elapsed since the first specimen reached
Europe: yet to-day the eXag gerated stO-
ries of its size AMI strength are repeated
i'm many of our textbooks, and the very
latest Ornithological work leaves us in
doubt as TO its relation to the other vul-
lures. No one credits the assertion OF the
old geOgrapher. Marco Polo, that the con-
dor can lift an elephant from the ground
high enough to Kill it by the fall, nor the
story of traveller, so late as 1880, who
declared that condor of moderate size,
lust killed, was lying before him, a single
Guill-feather of which was twenty good
PAGES long. Yet the statement continues
TO be published that the ordinary expanse
of a filll-grOwn specimen is from twelve
to twenty feet, whereas it is very doubt
full if IL ever exceeds or even equals twelve
/ feet. A full-grOwn male from the most
celebrated locality on the Andes, now in
/ NaSSar College. has stretch of nine feet.
Humboldt never found one to measure
over nine feet and the largest specimen
seen by Darwin was eight and a half feet
from tip to tip. An old male in the Zoo
logical Gardens of London measures
eleven feet. Won Tschudi says he found
one with spread of fourteen feet two
inches. but he invalidates his testimony
by the subsequent statement that the full
grown condor measures from twelve To
thirteen feet.
The ordinary habitat of the royal con-
dor is between the attitudes of ten thou
sand and sixteen thousand feet. The larg-
est seem 10 make their home around the
volcano of Cayambi which stands exactly
on the equator. In the rainy season they
frequently descend To the coast, where
they NAV be seen rOOSting on trees. ON
the mountains they very rarely perch
for which their feet are poorly lifted,
| but stand on rocks. They are most com
! monty seen around vertical cliffs. where
: their nests are, and where cattle are
, most likely to fall. Great numbers
frequent Antisana, where there is great
cattle estate. FlockS are never seen eX-
4 cept around large carcass. 1T Is Oiter
seen singlv soaring at a great height il
vast circles. Its flight is slow and males
! tic. Its head is always in motion, rs II IL
l search of food below. Its mouth is KEEP
: open and its tail spread. To rise from
e the ground. it must needs run for some
e distance then it flaps its wings three OF
I four times. and aScnnds at a low angle til
d il reaches considerable elevation, whel
" it seems TO make few leiSurely strokes
e As if to ease its wings, after when II liter
II ally sails upon the air.
e In walking. the wings trail upon thu
n ground. and the head takes a crouchin:
l. position. Ithas very awkward, almoS
r painful gait. From its inability to riS
II without running. a narrow pen is sufiic
d lent to imprison il. Though a carbon
Is bird. it brcathes the pUrest air. spendin:
o much of its time soaring three miles aboV
:. the SEA. Humboldt saw one flying owe
u Climb DraZo. We have seen them sallin;
1t at least thousand feet above the crate
y of Pichincha.
n Its gormandizing power has hardly bee
Oyer-stated. We have known single
n condor. not of the largest size. to maxi
r, way i'm one week with calf, sheep ant
lie dog. Ii prefers carriOn. but will some
times attack live sheep, deer. dogs, etc
ii The eyes and tongue are the favorit
parts, and first devOured; next the intes
l. tines. We never heard of one authenti
L Gated case of its carrying off children. no
ID of its attacking adults, except in defenS
Is of its eggs. Won Tschudi says it CannO
: carry when flying weight over tel
IS pounds. In captivity it will eat every
thing, except pork and cooked meat
When full fed it is exceedingly stupid
and can be caught by the hand; but a
other times it is a match for the stoutes
he man. Ii passes the greater part of tn
2 day sleeping, more often searching fo
?. prev in the morning and evening that a
1t no0n-very likely because objects ar
h more distinctly seen. 1t is seldom Sho
1t Though it is not invulnerable as one
thought. but is generally trapped o
le laSsOed.-Selected.