THE OOLOGIST. 



49 



with reddish brown spots scattered 

 over entire surface; another is dark 

 buff cream with very few specks; an- 

 other is dark buff* cream unmarked at 

 large end; the remaining four have a 

 delicate pink ground color, spot! el 

 with tine red dot*. Average size 

 1.90x1.36. 



No. 2. Set of niue eggs, collected 

 April 30 1892. Incubation begun. 

 These have a dirty cream groun I color; 

 four are spot ed over entire surface 

 rather.heavily with chestuut;one hasvery 

 few fine specks at large end but heavi- 

 ly spotted at small end; the remaining 

 four are spotted, not thickly at large 

 end, but heavily spotted and blotched 

 at small end, some spots being .62 

 inches across. Eggs about same size 

 as No. 1. 



No. 3. Set of seven eggs, collected 

 May 30, 1892. Incubation begun. 

 These have dirty cream ground color, 

 and nearly all are marked sparingly at 

 large end but spotted ratheij, heavily at 

 small end with light brown. This set 

 is larger than usual. Sizes as follows: 

 2.00x1,38,2.02x1.40, 1.8yxl.40, 1.98x1.39, 

 1.88x1.42, 1.86x1.38 and 1.86x1.37. 

 . No. 4. Set of six eggs, collected 

 May 10, 1892. Incubation fresh. 

 These have a rich cream ground color 

 with pinkish tint, (except one which is 

 a dull buff cream very sparingly mark- 

 ed) spotted and dotted over entire sur- 

 face with reddish brown. Sizes about 

 the same as No. 1. No. 4 is a beautiful 

 set and probably as near a typical one 

 as can be found, although some lack 

 the pinkish tint. 



Arthur L Pope, 

 McMinnville.Ore. 



California Vulture. 



Pseudog ryphus calif o rniaus . 



The monarch of North American 

 birds, the California Vulture, shares 

 with the Condor of the Andes the dis- 



tinction of being the largest bird indig- 

 enous to the western world. 



According to early travelers the Con- 

 dor was a bird of unequaled propor- 

 tions; a monster to whose powers of 

 flight distance was no impediment, and 

 whose united strength and swiftness 

 rendered it the lord of creation. Near- 

 ly all travellers indulged in wild theor- 

 ies concerning the Condor, deduced 

 from the popular tales and supersti- 

 tions connected with the legends and 

 traditions of the dusky-hued natives of 

 those distant lands. 



Later naturalists, like Humboldt, 

 more observant and less credulous than 

 their predecessors, have shown the fals- 

 ities of these pretensions and have 

 proven the Condor nothing more than 

 a large Vulture, rivaled in size, strength 

 and powers of flight by a bird of our 

 own clime, the California Vultui'e.Thus 

 have the romantic and extravagent 

 tales related of the marvelous Condor 

 long since passed into the realms of fic- 

 tion. 



The California Vulture is the only 

 species of its genus. It has the most 

 restricted habitat of any of the large 

 rapacious birds, being confined almost 

 exclusively to the state of California. 

 In autumn it is accustomed to visit the 

 banks of the Columbia where in com- 

 pany with other birds and various an- 

 imals it feasts upon the dead fish 

 abounding there at that season. These 

 visits are only temporary; when the 

 food supply diminishes the Vultures re- 

 turn to their more southern homes. 



The office in nature of this species 

 like that of the other Vultures is to re- 

 move carrion wherever found, that the 

 evil consequences of it may be prevent- 

 ed. The Vulture seldom if ever at- 

 tacks living animals, when it discovers 

 a wounded .creature it lingers near 

 awaiting the approach of death. When 

 the animal finally succumbs and falls 

 defenseless to the earth, the Vulture 

 and its con-comitants pounce upon it 



