Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1885-05-15
An Ontlawed Bird.

and is carrying on a novel war on the
gigantic vulture Of the Andes, the con-
dor. Condors have decreased so rapidly
within the past few years all along the
whole western slope Of the great noun
tain chain which is their habitat that
they have become, by their foul habits,
a scourge that has increased the already
sufficiently unwholesome character OF
The country. The government, in it's
proclamation, offered bounty Of S. for
every condor killed.
The hunting of condors has been n
regular business iIr the Andes noun
tains for many years, and the natives
have made some money at il, but, like
all the yulture family, the condor grows
suspicious and wary from contact with
mankind, and it has grown to know
aud fear gun 80 that it is next 10 i'm
possible 10 get within gunshot Of one.
Suarcs are now the only means by
which condors may be taken with any
certainty, and they have learned TO be
on the lookout for them. These birds
have the most wonderful powers of Wis.,
ION and flight Of any living creature Of
the air. Perched on mountain peaks
above the clouds, they watch the trails
which mules aud llamas follow, with
their burdens, thousands OF feet below
them, AID il an animal dies aud Is left
on the plain these monster yultures see
il, and although no human sight can
discover the presence OF single bird,
in tew seconds time they will be seen
dropping down from the clouds like
thunderbolts. Formerly the hunter
took advantage of this swooping down
upon the carcasses of dead animals by
hiding within gunshot and picking of
one or two condors before they could
rise out of range. Traps were also set
beside dead bodies OF mules and other
animals. But this can rarely be done
successfully now, so wary has the con-
dor become. The same wonderful eyes
that keep the trailing caravan In view
or discover the carcass left lying for its
use notes also the hunter hiding with
his gun, or the trapper arranging his
snare by the carcass, and the bird re-
mains in safety ON It's perch. To shoot
il Oh the wing, unless you are fortunate
enough 10 lie secreted near some lofty
peak when the bird comes sailing
through the clouds 10 seek II for N
perch, is entirely out Of the question,
for it flies at attitudes such as no other
bird sttains. This lying la wait, how
ever, far above the snow line for a
chance to put ball through condor Is
something that requires more grit and
nerve than the average hunter can
boast, aud consequently there are not
many cOndors killed on the wing. These
birds hatch their young among the
snow-covered crag, Of the Andes, somo-
times II 900 feet above the sea, and the
bird has been seen at an altitude Of
10000. Once In great while you may
hear Of some hunter bold enough To
chamber to the nesting places among
these crags In search Of condor nests, as
the capture Of the young or the eggs Is
a. profitable m killing grown bird;
but such exploits are few and far be-
tween.
There IL no more startling sight than
from some snowy rock 80 high In the
mountains that the clouds hide the
world from your view, TO sec one Of
these immense birds break suddenly
through the dense vapor below you and
sail upward with n broad sweep OF It's
ponderous wings into the haunts where
it dwclls alone ia the solitude. IL seems
like some winged demon daring to seek
the realms Of the sky. This bird can
stand range Of temperature beyond
which human existence is impossible,
and IS at home among the snowy peaks
Ol Chilli aud Peru as well az upon tie
burning sands Of Patagonia. with q
sweep Of wing twelve feet In extent,
the swiitness Of a condor's ght Is such
that 1t will sail out Of sight, notw ith-
standing its great size, within the space
/ Of very few minutes. 1t may with ease
/ eat its breakfast In the Northern Andes
and twelve hours later 20 To- roost
among the peaks Of the southern sea
coast.
If il were possible TO get at tie nests
of the condor so that its eggs might DO
destroyed there might be some chance
that the outla~sd bird would Ia time
be exterminateJ, but the systematic
scaling Of icy peaks to the height Of
anywhere from II, 200 10 1900 feet
above the ocean for the purpose OF bird
nesting, even at So nest, IL no; likely
ever TO come TO pass. Poisoning Of the
birds might be made effestusI, but un-
less some poison can be made 80 deadly
that II will kill the bird as II stands over
the bird It is devOuring, that means Of
determination cannot be made practical.
The hunter must produce the evidence
that be has Killed condor before he
can secure the bounty. That evidence
Is the birds head. A poIsoned bird
would carry of that evidence with him
and die with it among Inaccessible
peaks. The poisoning OF condors has
been tried and was not satisfactory TO
the hunters. I am Of the opinion that
this bird has the quality Of self-preser-
yation TOO largely developed to make its
annihilation even remotely probable.
When the last South American dies