The times., 1901-03-10
THE CONDOR A GIANT BIRD.
A South American That Bears the
OrnithoIogicnI Palm.
lFrom Tie New York World.

(From the New York WOTld.)
In the New York Geological Gardens is
specimen of the condor. This huge
| feathered freak belongs to the family
which produces the largest known bird.
Not only is the condor the largest bird
that flies, but in it's flight it goes higher
than any other living creature.
South America produces the largest
condOrS. Some of them weigh more than
forty pounds and measure from tip to
tip from 10 to IS feet. Their strength has
been noted on more than one occasion to
be more than that of a man.
When Won Humboldt was making OBJ
servations in South America near Mount
| ChimbOraZo ne saw CondOrS flying high
over the top of the mountain. Their al
titude must have been not less than 23, ,00J
feet.
A remarkable feature in connection
with the flight of the condor consists in
its ability to fly upward without tapping
its wings. This it does in series of cir
cles which enlarge as the bird wheels up
ward in species of opening spiral.
The condor has also the power of pOiS-
ing itself absolutely still in the air. Dar-
win observed q condor at a great altitude
remain perfectly still for half an hour.
No movement was observed during this
period, though doubtless there must have
been some imperceptible movement.
The next largest bird to the condor IS
the harpy eagle, found both in South
America and the Philippines. These birds
do not weigh SO much as condors and the
spread of wing is not so large.
They are far more fierce in their man
ner of attack, however, and are more
dreaded by natives
The South American harpy eagles We're
SO named by Il Jesuit traveller who first
took note of their predatory character.
He recalled the ancient NEUROLOGICAL tales
about the Greek harpies which were wont
TO fly down on festive occasions, destroy
ing everything within reach and even car
rying off persons.
The harpy eagle is larger than any other
1.T h.. rrT.r 4
stretch of wing from tip TO tip make it
rank as the second largest bird that flies.
1t has a spread of wing of from eight to
twelve feet.
The harpy eagle is very swift being cas-
lily able to outstrip the birds upon which
it preys. 1t has also very keen vision. 1t
is able to see. so those who have closely
observed II, white patch no larger than
a hens egg on a green tree or field two
miles distant.
Next to the harpy eagle in weight but
not so great in spread of wing, comes the
buStard. BuStards have been known to
weigh thirty pounds but their wingspread
is never more than nine feet. In early
days bustards inhabited the central and
northern parts of Europe, but they were
much sought after for their delicate flesh.
In Canada the bustard corresponds in
measure to the wild goose. though it is
not so large as the European bustard.
BuStards do not resemble in the least
as some have imagined-the buZzards of
North America. The former are related
to the crane and plover family, whereas
buzZards belong to the hawk family and
are never eaten.
Owing to it's weight and size, the bus
tard holds place next to the haTpy ca
gle. Bustards do not fly rapidly and are
more harmless than the harpy.
Wild turkeys come next to bustards
both in size and spread of wing. Audu-
hon made observations Of turkeys weigh
ing more than thirty pounds. Tame tur-
keys also reach that weight.
The spread of wing of the turkey is not
so great as that of either the harpy ea-
gle or the bustard. Hence the wild tur-
key has to be releSated TO fourth place
in the list Of biggest birds
Wild swans come next in this catalogue
OF large birds. Some wild swans have
been found to weigh twenty-eight pounds
II is estimated that the weight of these
birds sometimes approaches thirty
pounds The spread Of wing of the wild
swan is not very great, seldom exceeding
six feet.
AS to eXpanse of wing, it seems the al
batross holds the palm. Its stretch from
wing to wing is often as great as seven
teen feet.
The great American eagle" which
typihes the Union, seldom exceeds ten
pounds in weight, and its wing stretch
Is not often more than seven feet This
bird can, however. ascend to such
height that it disappears from view