Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-08-11
SCARS FAR ABOVE THE EAGLE.
h Condor OF the Andes said 10 Reach
a Height OF Six Miles.

Despite its immense size and weight.
the condor possesses the power of rising
in its flight 10 a greater distance above
the earth than any other bird saws the
Popular Science NelcS, and Darwin
speaks rapturously Of il. grace of mo-
lion on the wing. "When the cond0rs
are wheeling in = flock, round and
round any spot, their flight is beautiful.
Except when rising from the ground. |
do not recollect ever TO have seen one
Of these birds flag it wings. Near Lima
| watched several for nearly half an
hour without once taking of nv ewes.
They moved in large curves. sweeping
in cirxios, descending and ascending.
without giving a single flap. 1t is truly
wonderful and beautiful to see so great
4 bird, hour after hour. without any APP
parent exertion, wheeling and gliding
over mountain and river
Humboldt claims that il scars TO an
altitude Of at least 20, 900 feet above the
sea. From the cave Of Autisaua, which
is at an elevation of II. 9js feet above
the Pacific Ocean, he observed a condor
rise perpendicularly to a still greater
height of6,S76 feet. Other authorities
state that it reaches a height of six miles
above the sea level. which is about six
lines the height of the ordinary clouds.
The bird, from flying at this extreme
elevation, where the air must he highly
rariiied, will drop suddenly to the valley.
thus in the briefest time passing through
an almost incredible change of temper
lture. At such a height the air cells Of
the condor. when they have been filed
in the lower regions, must be inflated in
the most extraordinary manner. But
the great bird loves the heights. They
are his chosen home.
Hunger alone drives him 10 the plains.
As oon as his appetite is satiated he
leaves them, appearing to De oppressed
by the higher temperature and increased
weight Of the atmosphere. and returns
10 regions far above the clouds. where
the air is so rariiied that a man can
hardly breathe. High up as the eye
can reach he may be seeu describing his
graceful circles against the blue. From
this or even a more lofty point of want
age he brings his telescope eyes TO bear
upon the earth, eagerly scanning the
movements of the herds for the fall Of
some weakening member of the flock.
No sooner does a poor creature drop
than down rush the condors to the
feast.
In spite of the keenness of a hunger
~'harpened by II knows not how many
lays of watching upon the wing at that
rigid altitude, our condor begins his
'cpast daintily. tasting first the tongue
and eyes, his chosen tid-bits. But soon,
ired by the sight of the beautiful ban
luet which death has spread for him, he
ears the tough hide, and wildly pulling
With his beak, pushing with his feet,
md Tapping his wide wings. gorses
himseL gulping down great bits of
iesh, a..a riots without stint until he
al hold no more. Fairly drunken with
lis revolving feast, he no longer has
power 10 raise himself upon the wing.
Knowing this, the Indians will often
Jlace a dead animal as a lure upon the
plains. When the birds have become
5orged and unable TO fly the Indians
appear and moose them with the lasso.
me sport which they find scarce less ex-
citing than the ~Spaniard does his bull
light.