The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-08
A DOZEN FOR $4,000.
Most Valuable Birds Eggs Known
in the World.

IN AAC WOIA0s
From the San Francisco Examiner.
1t is not generally known among the
fads of the day the collecting of birds
eggs is one that interests the cultured
and the wealthy and one that NAV he
very extensively INDUCED in while il
affords a mild recreation to thousands of
individuals of moderate means The sci
entii1c collection of birds eggs has in
fact, become fascinating aVocation. and.
rightly studied, a pursuit to which me
systematic study of birds, their biology
and the laws governing their evolution,
IS largely indebted, as acknowledged bv
no less an authority than Prof Huxley
shlmself, who showed that a study of the
markings and shape Of the eggs of the spe-
cies aided materially in establishing
the close relationship of the Limicolae
ploVers) and the GaViae (gulls and terns)
Aside from its scientific value the col
lecting of birds eggs entices the enthu-
siast by the marvellous diversity in size.
shape, and the marking OF the eggs
htly painted by nature herself to adorn
the richest cabinet.
The Raptores, or birds of prey. are a IA
vorite family with biologists, largely from
the endurance, daring and nerve requisite
IN sealing cliffs and lofty trees to secure
their eggs, which are often, as in the case
OF the golden eagle, beautifully marked
This grand eagle seldom attacks the plum
derer of its eggs. though it is unsafe to
anger the majestic bird when its nest
contains young. The eggs are two. and
sometimes three, large, and show great
variation in the markings of purple Law
ender and rich brown, blotched or suf-
fused over the surface of the shell In
California, where these eagles are most
numerous, a lofty live oak tree is fire.
quently selected as a cite for the huge nest
of sticks, with its lining of Spanish moss
used by the birds year after year for
generations. A ledge on a cliff is also a
common nesting place. and out in Wyo-
ming an eagle has found a perfectly safe
place to raise it's young on the fiat TOP of
giant rock. The nest is in plain view
but is inaccessible.
The California condOr-a bird with n
sweep of wing ten feet from tip to tip
and the largest bird of flight in the
world not excepting the great Andes
TO biologists from the extreme rarity and
value Of its eggs. This condor is becom-
ing extinct, like the great aux; ana as
II had a forecast of its impending doom
It resorts to the most .precipitpus noun
tam, where, on some craggy and perhaps
inaccessible steep, it deposits its single
egg of pale, greenish blue in cave But
seven eggs are known in collections, and
the value of one considering the prob
ability of the great birds early extne-
tlon) is very great. More than 81 500 has
been paid for a single egg of the great
aux OF which there are sixty-eight eggs
IN existence. America can clam TWO
college and one at the Academy
OF Natural Science in Philadelphia The
latter collection held for many years
among the rarities an egg of the Calf
fornia condor, but 1t mysteriously disap-
peared Few years ago, and IL is SUD
posed some scientific kleptomaniac
thought il no sin to transfer the treasure
TO his own collections where he is hold
ing il for a raise in price.
Information as to the nesting habits of
the California condor has been exceed
ingly limited, and until 1889, when an egg
was taken for H. r. Taylor, editor of
the Nidiologlst, no eggs had been taken
since the SOS. The taking of this egg
showed the nesting time to be early in
May, and that but one egg is laid The
collector secured the great egg after a