Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1895-02-08
SOAPS FAR ABOVE THE EAGLE.
The Condor of the Andes Said TO Reach
Height Of siN Miles.

Despite H. Immense size ard weight,
the condor Possesses the power of rising
I'm H. flight 10 "a greater distance above
the earth than ANY other lii1 SAYS the
POpHi1r Scihr, -N,Ws. and Darwin
speaks rapturou-l Of H. grace of mo-
,ion ON the wing. ~ acn The coudors
are wheeling IN ,l-ck, rJnd and
round ANY spot. their ii ghi a. beautiful.
Except when rising from the ground. /
do NOT recollcrt ever 10 have seen one
OF these birds ilag il wings. Near Lima
! watched several for ucar'Y half an
hOui without once taking oN ms eyes.
They moved in large curves. sweeping
in circles. descending and ascending.
without giving singe flap. itis truly
wonderful and beautiful go ~cc so great
a bird. hour after hour. without amy APP
parent eNcnion. wheeling and gliding
over mountain and river
Humboldt claims that It scars ts an
altitude of at least 20. 900 feet above the
sea. From the cave of Autisana. which
j. at an elevation OF - 9jS feet above
the Pacific Ocean. he observed "a condor
rise perpendicularly 10 still greater
height OF d. $40 feet. Other authorities
state that il reaches a height OF ,iN miles
above the sea level, which is about six
times the height OF the ordinary clouds.
The bird, from dying at this extreme
elevation, where the air must be highly
rariiied will drop suddenly To the valley,
thus in the brieiest time passing through
an almost Incredible change Of temper
allure. At such height the air cells of
the condor. when they nave 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 drive, him to the plains.
As soon rs his appetite is satiated he
leaves them. appearing 10 be oppressed
by the higher temperature and increased
weight of the atmosphere, and returns
10 regions far above the clouds. where
the air is 50 rarificd that man can
hardly breathe. High up a the eve
can reach he may be seen describing his
graceful circles against the blue. From
th. or even a more lofty point Of want
are 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 hunger
sharpened by one knows not how many
days of watching upon the wing at that
frigid altitude, our condor begins his
repast daintily, tasting first the tongue
and eyes, his chosen tid-bits. But soon,
fired by the sight of the beautiful ban
quet which death has spread for him he
tears the tough hide, and wildly pulling
with his beak, pushing with his feet,
and tapping his wide wings, gorges
himself, gulping down great bits Of
flesh, and riots without stint until he
can hold no more. Fairly drunken with
his revolving feast, he no longer has
power to raise himself upon the wing.
Knowing this. the Indians will often
place dead animal a, lure upon the
plains. When the birds have become
gorged and unable to fly the Indians
appear and moose them with the asso,
the sport which they find scarce less ex-
citing than the Spaniard does his bull
tight.