BIRDS OF PREY 135 
Club it has been protected, and according to latest 
reports it is increasing in numbers. 
On his first trip to California, the Eastern bird-lover 
expects to see these birds soaring majestically over every 
mountain, and is disappointed when he has remained a 
year, or two, or three, with never a glimpse of one, 
although right in the Condor range. The truth is the 
Condors keep well back in the hidden and inaccessible 
parts of the mountains, and if you would see one, you 
must go where they are and see the sun rise,—as they 
do; for the Condor seeks his prey as soon as the sunlight 
has reached the valleys and before the world is fairly 
astir. Then you may see him on glorious wings, circling, 
circling, with scarcely a movement save of his head, 
which, stretched out before him, turns this way and 
that. He is magnificent to look at, — nearly eleven feet 
from tip of wing to tip of wing, — but in some ways he 
is very stupid. A// vultures are stupid. Although so 
keen of vision that you can never hope to conceal your 
presence from him, yet he will betray his nest and make 
no effort to lead you from it by the wise feints of smaller 
birds. Thus in the animal world nature compensates 
for great strength and ferocity by giving the quicker 
instincts to the hunted, not to the hunters. The Condor’s 
senses are keen to show him where to obtain food, and 
his wings are strong; but, in danger from no creature, 
he has not been trained to protect himself. He gorges, 
is satisfied, and sleeps with no need of precaution for 
self or young, because, unless his food be poisoned, what 
has he to fear? The young Condor reared by Mr. 
