The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-08-25

friends, H. Bohlman, professional
photographer, who fastened across a
thousand miles to join him.
On April IL the two friends set
out together. They had reached the
approaches to the nest when large
stone, loosened by Mr.. Finley's foot,
fell with crash to the bottom of the
canyon. The noise drew the mother
bird out Of the crevice and she
perched upon the branches of dead
tree. AS she showed no disposition
to return, after a quarter of an hour
OF waiting the friends climbed along
the cliff to the foot of the tree and
put their apparatus in order. At
that moment the male came flying at
full speed and perched near his COM
panion.
Then followed curious scene. The
female, crawling along the branch,
put her head under the neck of the
male with caressing gesture. He
responded coldly to this conjugal adj
vance, turning away his bald head
with an air of boredom and drawing
back as she approached until he had
reached the end of the branch. He
was forced to unfold his wings in or
der to leap above her and regain his
foothold on the other side of the
branch. This little incident put an
end to his i'll humor. The two con-
doris perched side by side for a long
and tender exchange of caresses be-
fore winging their way together into
the shadows.
A visit to the youngster was now
in order. Mr.. Finley found that it
had grown considerably. AS big as
its egg seventeen days before, it now
just fitted the naturalist's hat. Its
down, which had previously been of
dazzling white, had now taken a
grayish tinge. The pink of its head
and neck had turned a vivid yellow.
The sight of Mr.. Finley wrung from
it strange cries, followed by stifed
whistling. 1t even sought to defend
itself with its beak against the hands
which bore it to the outer ledge.
While the photographer was fixing
his apparatus MFR. Finley stood on
guard, his eyes toward the sky.
Thrice had the instrument clicked
when a barely perceptible speck in
the heavens grew bigger with aston
ishing rapidity. The male condor
was rushing to the rescue, followed
speedily by his consort. Again the
pair contented themselves with hos
tile demonstration, and the men
withdrew in safety with their pre-
cious films.
Baby Bird Still Antagonistic.
A new expedition on April rs sur
prised the mother bird asleep beside
her progeny. This unexpected delay
enabled them to set their apparatus
in order. Then they awoke the con-
dor with whistle and she sailed
slowly away to her accustomed perch
on the dead tree.
The next visit was paid on May
Is. The nesting, now fifty-four days
old. had grown as big as chicken.
Its body was covered with thick
gray down, whence feathers were
sprouting. Anger 7swelled its neck,
the breath, which it exhaled in fur
ious whistles, filed the crevice with
sitting odors, and its beak would
have torn Mr. Finley's hands had
they not been protected by gloves.
On June IL naturalist and photog-
rapher were again in the crevice.
Though the young condor, now eigh-
ty-two days old, defended itself more
vigorously than ever, its parents had
become accustomed to their presence.
They no longer protested as the
strange visitors approached the nest.
They even allowed themselves to be
photographed from distance of five
feet.
AT the last visit, July A, the moth
er carried familiarity so far as to
take Mr.. Bohlman's sleeve gently in
her beak. She had become as mild
as pet cat.
The two friends had been amply
rewarded for their pains. After four
months of watching over the nesting
and its parents they had been enabled
to study from life the habits of spe-
cies doomed to speedy extinction and
to bear away with them the photo
graphs.