i8 



The Avifauna. 



CALIFORNIA 



Notes on California Condors. 



/^lyTHOUGH this bird is now compara- 

 J^ tively rare, and as Dr. Brewer re- 

 marks "The single species composing this 

 ver>' distinct genus belongs to western North 

 America and so far as known has the most 

 restricted distribution of any large raptorial 

 bird in the world. 



Virtually the skins and eggs are of extra- 

 ordinirus divideration and \'alue to our orni- 

 thologists and oologists. Of the skins Los 

 Angeles has probably the largest number in 

 proportion to population, of any city in 

 America, no less than eight perfect speci- 

 mens being found in our private collections. 

 Likewise Los Angeles boasts of the possess- 

 ion of two out of the three known eggs con- 

 tained in all North American collections 

 public or private. (The class of ornitholo- 

 gists residing in the home of the Avifauna 

 is therefor ob%'ious.) 



The illustration on page 17 is of a bird 

 now in the collection of Mr. G. Frean 

 Morcom. It was killed near Julian, San 

 Diego Co., Cal. on June 2nd, 1888 and is an 

 adult female, measuring 3 ft. 7 i-io inches 

 length, 9 ft. 2 7-10 inches in extent, weight 

 21 pounds. The half Tone on this page is 

 of a male bird shot April 21, 1895, by Mr. 

 J. M, Henrj' with a 38 caliber revolver 

 about seven miles northeast of Santa Monica, 

 Cal. Its weight was 27 pounds, extent 9 ft. 

 8 inches. 



This Vulture* was perched on a rock at 

 the time and was shot by Mr. H. from his 



VULTURE. Monnted by Thus. Schooter. 



horse while ascending the canyon. Not- 

 withstanding these birds are generally quite 

 wan,', the one in question showed no fear 

 so that it was approached within about 30 

 feet before attempting to rise. 



The condor is variousl}- described as to 

 size and weight. Prof. Ridgway gives the 

 extent as 8)4 to nearly 11 feet, weight 

 from 20 to 25 lbs. In the Nidiologist of 

 Februar\^ Mr. Geo. F. Breninger of Santa 

 Cruz, Cal., reports shooting an adult bird 

 which measured 11 feet from tip to tip. 



One of the more noticable differences be- 

 tween this species and the Condor of the 

 Andes is the absence in this variety of the 

 crest or comb found on its more tropical 

 cousin. 



Our colored plate of the egg is a splendid 

 reproduction of the specimen collected for 

 Mr. Shields in April last, by Mr. O. W. 

 Howard of this cit}'. It was obtained from 

 a cave in the side of a lofty precipice in the 

 San Louis Obispo mountains this state (see 

 Nidiologist July 25, 1895.) 



It is so far as known one of the three 

 authentic specimens now in the United 

 States, two of these are now in Mr. Mor- 

 com' s collection, the other in the L^. S. 

 National Museum. 



Thus far no one has been found who can 

 confidently assert that anj' of the European 

 Museums possess a specimen. 



The original of the colored plate is a per- 

 fect prepaired egg measuring 4.42 x 2.65 

 inches. Its companion in Mr. Morcom' s 



