136 BULLETIN 17 0, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



POLYBORUS LUTOSUS Ridgway 

 GUADALUPE CARACARA 

 HABITS 



The history of this extinct species is a tragic story. It seems sad 

 that such a unique and interesting species should be wiped out 

 entirely; but it was a bad actor, and whenever a beast or bird inter- 

 feres too much with human interests its days are numbered, unless it 

 proves more than a match for its human enemies, as does the crow. 

 This bird was not endowed with sufficient sagacity to survive, and 

 was too easily exterminated in its limited range. 



This interesting species was discovered by Dr. Edward Palmer, 

 when he visited Guadalupe Island in 1875. The "quelelis", as these 

 birds were called by the inhabitants, were then abundant on every 

 part of the island, in spite of the fact that hundreds of them had been 

 destroyed by the inhabitants, both with poison and firearms, without 

 any noticeable diminution in their numbers. 



Ten years later, when Dr. Walter E. Bryant visited the island, the 

 number of these birds had decreased very materially. He (18S7) writes: 



In January, 1885, during a two days' excursion about the central part of the 

 island, but four "Quelelis" were seen. By 1886 their number had been reduced 

 by more than a score by the island agent, who never missed an opportunity to kill 

 one. Arriving on the island in the summer time, when the birds came to the 

 shallow pools to drink, the agent would lie in wait behind a boulder and pick them 

 off with a rifle. The birds, if missed, heeding not the shot, or, if but slightly 

 wounded, not realizing the danger, remained near, making certain the destruction 

 of all that came to drink at the fatal spring. 



During my rambles I frequently came upon the weather-beaten carcasses of 

 "Quelelis" lying where they had fallen. In one place, four were found lying 

 dead together. 



Later (1889) he says: 



So effective has been the work of extermination carried on against this bird 

 that Dr. Edward Palmer who first discovered them in 1875, says that he visited 

 the island this year (1889) and did not see a single individual. He tells me that 

 when he landed, fourteen year ago, the "quelelis" , as they are known there, were 

 so numerous and bold that men were obliged to stand over the angora goats with 

 sticks to protect them from attack, particularly the kids, which were not defended 

 by their mothers. The short-haired kind will drive off the birds, so Dr. Palmer 

 says, from his observation. Now that man has abandoned the island I cherish 

 the hope that a pair at least may still be living, and that some future explorer 

 may succeed in finding the unknown eggs, and give us an account of the nesting 

 habits of this peculiar insular species. 



Four were reported seen by some goat hunters in 1896, Henry B. 

 Kaeding (1905) saw one on March 22, 1897, and Rollo H. Beck secured 

 9 out of 11 caracaras that flew over him on December 1, 1900; he says 

 in a letter to Clinton G. Abbott (1933): "The 11 birds were all that 

 were seen, but judging by their tameness and the short time that I was 

 on the island, I assumed that they must be abundant." This is the 



