FIELD-DAYS IN CALIFORNIA 



I looked, and looked, and looked again ; and 

 then, unable to contain myself, I turned to a 

 lady and gentleman who were following me up 

 the trail. 



" There ! " said I, " if you wish to see the 

 largest bird in North America, there he is." 



They were not half so much excited as I 

 thought they ought to be. 



"It isn't larger than an eagle, is it?" said 

 the gentleman, after inquiring its name. 



He had seen a bald eagle at Catalina Island 

 a day or two before, and seemed to have gathered 

 that, in the line of large birds, the world had no- 

 thing more to offer. 



I assured him that the bald eagle was nowhere 

 in comparison (the condor is really only half as 

 large again as the eagle, but, you see, I was 

 feeling enthusiastic), and rather indifferently, as I 

 thought, he gave it another look. He was not what 

 we call a ''bird man," that was evident ; and by 

 and by, when the vulture had passed out of 

 sight beyond Mount Wilson, he informed me 

 that his hobby was astronomy. I was pleased to 

 know he had so good a one ; but, for myself, at that 

 moment I was amazingly contented with my own. 

 It was wonderful how easy the grade was from 

 that point. Such is the power of mind over mat- 

 ter. I could have gone on indefinitely, and never 



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