The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-09-29


| once had access to a large South
American condor which found very amen
able to the tanning process. After some
weeks 1t came to know me, and would
hold up its head to be scratched, ike
dog. The living California vulture that
it was my good fortune to see, appeared
to be quite as heavy and powerful bird,
though there is no doubt that the Andean
form is the superior in this respect. As
to their strength, Dr. Cooper states that
four could drag the body of young grizzly
bear, weighing 100 pounds, distance of
600 feet DR. Newbury observed these
birds in the Sacramento valley in 1856,
and refers to their fine soaring powers; and
DIR. Garfield states that he has seen as
many as 1870 vultures around dead ante
lope in the Columbia river region. South
ern California today is undoubtedly the
principal retreat for the great bird, which
will be hunted in the winter from peak to
valley, and from one live oak grove 10
another until they too have Joined the ma
jority.
The disappearance of this bird can be
traced to different causes; first the pot
hunter, who goes forth to kill everything;
| second. the collectors, who sell their
game, from blue birds to vultures, to
curiosity dealers; third, poisoned meat set
for coyotes and bears, and fourth, Mexican
miners in Lower California, who. it is said,
destroyed the bird solely for their plumes,
in the hollow part Of which they deposit
gold dust
Among the doomed animals are the ante
lopc aud elk 4 few years ago the plains
of California were covered with antelope.
! Even SO late as fourteen years ago hunters
could find them in the old dry lake bottoms
in the vicinity of Moiaye; and fifty years
ago the great San Joaquin vailed supported
many bands But the advance of the
white man into the West has been fatal;
they have been shot down, driven away,
| murdered in cold blood for their heads
| alone. and today are on the verge of ex-
/ tinction in California As to the actual
numbers in this State, H. W Keller, State
/ Fishery Commissioner, wrote me THE
/ only antelope | have seen or heard of are
in the following localities In the Mount
! Shasta foothills, about forty miles east of
lreha Siskiyou county, found about 70
/ head in small bands, running in the timber
entirely, something unusual for this animal
/ There is also a small band in the western
end Of Antelope Valley, possibly less than
/ 20 in all. There may be some in the
counties bordering ON the Nevada line, but
of this am not sure | do not think that
/ there are 500 autelopes in the State
The elk are disappearing so rapidly de
/ spite the efforts on the part of the Govern
meut Ia save them, that it would hardly
be an eXaggcration TO say that within 20
wears there will not be one left outside the
limits Of the national preserves. Even
/ tins retreat Is not a protection, and pot
/ hunters aud renegadcs hunt the borders,
drive game into the open country and
slaughter it. Elk in the territories and
interior States are hunted in the deep snow
4 of winter. made To- move on from post
to pillar Fifty years ago elk could be
found plentiful in California; and 200
years ago the animals ranged the State and
far into lower California and everywhere
over the great valleys, judging by the ant
lers found. How it Is today Mr.. Keller
writes me as follows The only elk
knew of in this Cahtornia-are
few in the northern part Of Humboldt
county. and about lao in Kern county,
west Of Bakersfield