A DOOMED BIRD. 



ii 



BY J. G. COOPER. 



What things we do see, 



When we h'aiiit got no gun.^—J^nsficus 



In May, 1872, when traveling by wagon from San Diego to Los 

 Angeles and encamped near the coast about what is now the south- 

 ern boundary of Orange County, I was examining the geolo-y of 

 the low hills bordering the sea -beach, when I noticed a stra"n<re- 

 lookmg and large bird sitting on a grassy hillside some distance 

 Irom me. As I approached it, being on foot and not attempting to 

 conceal myself, as I was armed only with a hammer and unprepared 

 to attack It, I of course expected to see it fly away. But although, 

 as I soon saw, ,t was a California vulture, generally a very shy bird 

 It seemed on this occasion quite the reverse, and I walked up to its 

 side as It stood there with eyes wide open, as unconcerned as if it 

 considered me a brodaer biped. I could see no sign of injury or 

 disease about it; on the contrary, it was in splendid spring p unLe 

 and apparently a male. Nor did it seem a very old bird, but eve^y 

 feather was as clean and perfect as if painted in one of Audubon's 

 finest plates. Its head and neck were of a light orange, showL 

 ht It was not a young bird, and it showed no sign of ha;ing su; 



rarely carried a rifle shot being nearly useless for killing them I 



.n^in a la. way^T I^ inl^^ri^Zt^r '1^?:^ 

 loaded .-uh fossils and had several miles to walk to camp o I did 

 not feel like carrying a heavy bird, which looked at least S Tarlt 

 a twenty-five-pound turkey. It seemed an unfair ad "Ige o t,k 



fulfill its destiny. 



ing, in fte -Lr., BiS f he i'c fiT Sr^f • !f '' f'i.^!^''- 



emy's "Occasional Papers" issued rti» 



.hese notes in U.e o.der^r ^S^J^^Z^X!: Z. JS 



