New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-08
GTtVT BIRDS OF AMERICA.

TIE cOCOPAI MOUNTAIN VUITuRhs AXE HN'''''"
THAN CoNDoRs.
las Angeles correspondence of The Philadelphia
While IN. International Boundary Commission mas
rcsurvsyel the territorial lines between the '"'e"
states and Mexico and has Sc; UP string OF grant,
monuments all the way from FL Paso westward 10
c., n,ago on the Pacific Ocean. since September
,soo :, has been the means OF giving to the sclen
,,s,s ~ IN. world much valuable Information. Inc
country through which the commission WIN" -.
way from FL Paso westward - probably aS WIZ
desolat- and dangerous TO human HE as any U" ''''
continent Thousands OF square miles through whi'h
,h. b,undary line between the Union anu N'A'o
runs is 10 hopelessIy burning desert as 'he
rh.ra are mountains and canyons there that nave
never been trod by white men, and any company 81
a dozen or SO white men would De N'""'u'"s NV"
lives to attempt TO 60 tfere Tor pu'PoSeS Vi VA
nloration The temperature In That region ranhe'
from 40 degrees to l25 degrees for weeks III time
In summer.
When the International Boundary Commission ana
its accompanying body OF United states soldiers ana
laborers started from FL Paso on an ehpeu'oi VI
three wears the opportunity TO send Teh lot sc'e"
tinc purposes along with the party vas eagerly III
,roved nv IN. authorities at the Smithsonian lnsu-
,u,,on AT Washington and at the Academy OF
sciences a, the city OF Mexico. There were miner,
aoglss geoogists entomologists @
together literally a carload OF specimens III the
animal vegetable and mineral h kin e,psd
ton were those the birds and animals lima charge
Edgar Mearns United sses ar"s and h4
ono,'me,s in the progress across the deserts and
mountains and hrous ssst nf Soeced nearly @
specimens Of curious NE and they have osen pThy
dnct"r has packed his specimens in San Diego and
mas gone on to the Smithsonian Institution WIN
them hlm nn pu RIs them in shape for
formation they will impart to naturaiis's every
Among other birds making their last stand IN the
s snd 81 sra "SfS f' ysr the ds
T South nS5s In fas Kns
the cloud Anae Few ot tneSe eros n
in that part OF the cocopah Mountains trayersed by
fornia vuliure is cowardly bird. but the members
OF DIR. Mearns's party do not think SO after 4Dsery
Ts in h Ut eary IKE big bird h"
the snake behind the head ard was Struggling up
captor appeared aware that It's victim was danger
The SSafn n0y was The pu ss OF the was
ture waved s rapidly as slowly assembled from the
ias ls nS as as ass
and up and up w-nt the bird and the rattesnake.
of the sr best The snake seemed to be squirting
from Its captor's talons at least sufiisently to en-
head of the. snake was seen to reeoi and dart at
n Ssn % sre ns Sa or It's
The bird was then probably 900 feet or so above the
treated to a spectacle seldom seen s,nywhere Few
birds but vilture could accomplish such feat
The instant the snake escaped fiom the birds
clutches il dropped earthward like a shot And like
a shot the bird dropped after It, catching the as;
with a grip that caused death. At any rate. the
snake ceased 10 wrigsle. and the vulture scared
away TO n mountain peak to devour its hard-earned
meal Why the snake did not bite the vuture and
By 'p that the pr Ds pTo
tected the bped's flesh from incison by the reptiles
fangs.
These vultures are closely allied to the common
turkey buxzari. Their color is glossy black. with
OF the neck Is bare. like the turkey buzzard with
rui1ie where the feathers begin. There Is bright
the California vuture four feet high and weighs
about twenty pounds. Years ago. when these huge
valleys 70 sec California vutures and feed
mc ON ,ne same n narmSny while
lures were frequently caught alive when gorged. by
determination OF the vuture In California has been
through the medium Of poisoned meat, prepared