Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-13
PASSING OF ISAAC
A Turkey Vulture Who Keeps
Up Interest.
FAULTS AN ID WORSE
LIKES THE BEST THINGS, BUT
WILL DO OTHERWISE.
Looks as if Some Sturdy Farmer Will
Be His Finish Be-
fore Long.
F AULTS AND WORSE

Written for The Evening Star.
Readers of this series may possibly re-
member Isaac the young turkey vulture
which | brought from the south about "A
year ago, and which weathered the winter at
my former home in Massachusetts. When
L was about TO move to Newport. n. H., L
decided to liberate number OF the animals
which L had in captivity, and whose be-
havior l did not intend to study any fur
Their. Isaac was of these but as
knew that he was tame enough to become
victim of the first gunner who chose to
slaughter him 1 thought / would take him
with me TO a wilder country, where his
chance for life would be better SO | Grated
him and sent him along by express. Now
Isaac was never a very good-natured bird
under any circumstances. and moving by
express was an institution which did not
meet with his approval in the least degree
The local expressman understood this when
he lett his hand nipped by pair of pin
GERS. and looked down to see Isaac's b.Il
gripping him through the bars of the crate
with eyes flashing angrily. the buzzard
twisted his head from side to side in an
endeavor TO bite out the piece and the
man dropped the crate and sucked his hand
while the crate and its contents turned
several kinds of somersaults down a long
rocky hill. The man did not say God bless
you and he didn't mean to- but stfl suck
ing one hand and picking UP the crate with
the other, ne kept a bright lookout until he
had isaac safe on the express wagon which
was waiting at the bottom of the hall
He Had Grip.
Ihe animals went on the same train as
did. and half an hour out of Boston +
walked into the baggage car to see that
they were getting plenty of air burst
OF laughter greeted me as I opened the
door, ana L saw a group of trainmen stoop-
In. Al nttFta in
seemed to be playing some amusing game.
so walked up to see what ii was Ii was
isaac crate, and Isaac's head was stick
ing tnrough the bars. One of the men put
out his hand, and, as the vulture made "a
snap at 1t. he deity caught the birds hill
IN MS fingers and gave it little shake
Ihen another man tried ii. but this fellow
was not so successful. for Isaac caught him
by the first finger. and. with a quick turn of
the head, twisted off a piece OF the skin
Howls OF laughter greeted this failure and
then II was some one elSes turn No one
was hurting the bird and as the latter
seemed to be having more than his share of
the fun i let the game go on until the
men got tired of it and went away most
or them nursing al least one finger which
had been injured in the contest
After his arrival here Isaac was kept
tethered by long string to perch on the
edge of some woods near the house and
after he had become somew hat used TO the
place l took the strap from his leg and
away he flew. He sailed around for a few
n.
on our barn, where he preened his feathers
as calmly though Il were nothing new
Tor MN to be at liberty. Then off he went
TO farm house about half "A mile away,
where he stayed for a few days eating
fish heads and other refuse that was thrown
TO him. and then he disappeared andf
was afraid he had gone the way OF ali
flesh Then came a telephone message To
the effect that a large bird, doubtless a
very valuable one" said to belong TO me.
vas stopping at a farm house about nfe
miles away, and that If | wanted him | had
better send for him soon. as two Eunners
had already fired at him. installing him
for a hen hawk. | did not want the bird
but did not wish him 10 be shot. 50 | walk
ed over TO see what could be done.
Liked Fresh Eggs.
I was met at the door by the farmers
wife Upon asking for Isaac" / learned
that he was probably in the chicken coop.
eating the fresh eggs; he had eaten nearly
all the fresh eggs for week past, she
said. The damage? Nothing They had
been interested in watching the bird and
in letting him take whatever he fanced,
but since | had come for him, why. they
would not be at all sorry to see him de-
part.
We found Isaac" in the barn yard, I'M
der a cart shed in the shade, looking very
well fed and contented. He allowed me to
catch him, and, putting him into a sack,
carried him home and let him go in the
fields near the house Here food and wa
ter were placed for him, and he remained
for several days. He might have been
there yet had not some tourists with toy
camera insisted en- taking picture of the
lea GLE" chasing the bird from rock 10
fence post and from fence post to tree. and
Isaac" became thoroughly Disguised and
flew clean away.
Was Real Hungry.
I did not see him for several days after
that, but one morning last week walked
Al dc MT for frnrf
here, and there stood the buzzard. on the
porch. He had arrived very hungry, L
was told but for two days had steadily re-
fused ginger-snaps, at which l was not
very much surprised Then one evening
as some meat was thrown out to the DOG
the vulture had bounced upon IL Win sueh
emphasis as to make ii evident that GIN
per-snaps were not what he had been look
ing for After that, they told me the Dird
had haunted the camp. ana could not De
driven away. He stole the dog 1000
drove the little boy into the house when NE
went out to play, and that very morning
he had made a determined attempt TO
sample" the baby. After that he had been
.swatted" with the broom, but, as i couiu
see for myself, there he was again
Altogether have grave fears Tor isaac
health If he can control himself until
cool weather and then journey to the
south where yultures are appreciated, All
may vet go well with him. but II, as
fear he continues to devote his life TO
stealing fresh eggs and chasing chlidren'
his shrift is likely TO be short. Some stur,
DIV farmer who thinks more OF eggs ana
children than of turkey buzzards VIII
probably take down a gun and SEND Isaac
by wireless to his long last home.
ERNEST HAROLD BAYNES.