Vol. XI IT GvitvrnI Xo/rs. 51 



,895 J 



Notes on the California Vulture. — It may interest members of the 

 American Ornithologists' Union to learn that the California Vulture 

 (^Pseudogryphus californianus) is not likely to become extinct yet, as I 

 recently saw a large flock of these rare birds. The circumstances were as 

 follows: Oct. 10, 1894, while driving from Ilavilah soutliward. just as I 

 was coming down into Walkers Basin, in the extreme southern end of 

 the Sierra Nevada, I saw a California Vulture tlying high in the air. .\.s 

 it was the first I had seen since March I got out my field glass and 

 watched it. It appeared to settle toward the ground. A few minutes 

 later another appeared and I saw it alight. As the road passed near 

 where it alighted I kept on to opposite that point and getting out the 

 glass again saw quite a number of \'ultures about a carcass. A number 

 of Ravens had flown away, hut I could see no Turkey Vultures among 

 those remaining. The bare necks of several appeared plain yellow at 

 that distance. 



Thev were about half a mile away. The ground was level and bare. 

 The only cover was a wire fence, so it was nearly a hopeless case to 

 attempt to stalk them, but the wind was blowing hard from the south and 

 it seemed possible to walk up from the leeward and circle near enough for 

 a shot, and so I camped and tried it. Before I got half way they began 

 to rise and the last one left by the time I got within 300 yards. As 1 

 expected, the strong wind made them swing nearer me, but probably 

 none came nearer than 150 yards. I expended two charges of buckshot in 

 the futile hope that a stray buckshot might strike one. 



As they rose singly or two or three together I had a good opportunity 

 to count them. They were twenty-six in number! It was a sight I never 

 before witnessed and do not expect to see again. just think of it! 

 Twentv-six California Vultures circling around above me, all in sight at 

 once, as if they were but so many Turkey Vultures, and we had supposed 

 the species was nearly extinct. Possibly it was a grand meeting of all 

 the survivors, a family reunion; at any rate I had seen none for months 

 and have seen none since. 



I noticed but one immature bird. It rose last and perhaps others were 

 in the thickest of the tlock. 1 singled out two of the largest to fire at. 

 Thev were not much larger than the average and there was no giant in 

 the "flock. Probably nine feet and six inches would be the spread of 

 wings of the largest. 



On walking up to the carcass I found it to be that of a young horse, 

 not much eaten yet. In the hope that some of the birds might return I 

 determined to wait until night in the vicinity (it was then 11 a.m.). 

 Seeing the hopelessness of attempting to stalk them I tried another way 

 to get them, and getting out half a dozen steel traps, set them around the 

 carcass. It was an unfair method but I think few ornithologists would 

 have hesitated on that account. It was useless, as no Vulture came in 

 sight, although I waited until the approach of night necessitated driving 

 on to some place where 1 could tind water and feed for my horses, which 



