76 



THK NIDIOI.OC'.IST 



ali.t;hliii<^ in the same tree. By the side of 

 their big relative they looked like Crows. 

 For a half-hour the great bird sat and was 

 closely observed through the telescope. 

 It seemed to be sunning itself, frequentl\' 

 half-spreading out its wings; and, from its 

 repeated picking at its feathers I judged it 

 to be infested by some parasite. 



"Now for the eggs!" we said. To reach 

 that immense rock the gorge must be 

 crossed and a tortuous climb accomplished 

 under the burning sun, over boulders, 

 through brush and across rocky pinnacles 

 which might well daunt the stoutest 

 mountain climber. 



It was 3 o'clock when the explorers 

 shouldered their coil of rope and began the 

 descent to the gorge. In endeavoring to 

 reach the base an old water course was 

 followed leading between the rocks. Soon 

 a straight jump of four feet was necessary, 

 then another of six feet. Deeming this 

 sufficiently suggestive the climbers re- 

 treated and descended by a trail, when 

 they saw that their next jump in the old 

 watercourse would have been a sheer 150 

 feet — a waterfall in winter time. Although 

 no exertions were spared, the ascent of 

 the rocks beyond the gorge, hemmed in 

 continually by thick brush and rock tombs, 

 I)roved a matter for desperation. The coil 

 of rope grew heavier and the exhausted 

 toilers fainter, until, toward nightfall, it 

 was no longer a question of finding the 

 C'Midor, but of getting out at all. 



At last, about dusk, the rock where the 

 Condor had been seen was reached. It was 

 too late to search far the nest. A wildcat 

 came from behind a rock twenty paces 

 ahead and stared at the intruders. A few 

 steps beyond a fox trotted to cover. 



Xahl was in the rear. Hearing no noise 

 I stopped and shouted. There was no 

 re])ly, A hasty search in the moonless 

 night discovered Xahl at last lying in the 

 Ijrush, where he had fainted from the heat 

 and exhaustion. The remaining water in 

 the canteen revived him and progress was 

 resumed, a sliding and slii)]iing on the 

 stones and through underbrush and vines. 

 vSucli was the descent for hours, with every 

 moment the i)ros])ect of coming u])on a 

 l)recipice, in which the region abounds. 



After frecpiently falling asleep from 

 weariness the delightful sound of croaking 

 frogs and running water signaled the 

 approach to the creek bed. The nature of 

 the country now offered assurance against 



precipices, and spirits were reviving when 

 an ominous sound in the chaparral almost 

 in the exact direction traveled caught the 

 ear. No one who has heard such a cr\' can 

 mistake it. A California lion was directly 

 in the path. 



l^narmetl it was dangerous to remain 

 and equally so perhaps to advance. The 

 latter course was decided on and the nest 

 hunters passed within a few paces of the 

 great cat, which could be plainly heard 

 moving about and uttering short cries in 

 the brush. Thus was the creek gained and 

 at 10 o'clock at night the climbers reached 

 the camp, weary and footsore, after as wild 

 an experience as perhaps any one has ever 

 undertaken. 



It is perhaps hmiliating to admit that we 

 packed up the next day and went back to 

 the cit3% leaving the California Condor alone 

 — king in the wilderness. 



Mr. A. W. Anthony of San Diego has 

 kindly sent me the following notes: 



"First let me congratulate you on having 

 secured the egg of our Nidioi^ogist's 

 figure head. It is a good find. I will 

 gladly give you all the notes I have, and am 

 sorry to say it will not take long. As far 

 as my own experience in the United States 

 goes I have only met with the bird once. 



"In December, 1891, I saw two fine 

 adults on the vSanta Margarita ranche near 

 the coast (about fifty miles north of San 

 Diego). Tliey were quite near the railroad 

 track and I enjoyed a good view of them. 



"A few are found all along the mountains 

 east of here and well down into I^ower 

 California. They very seldom, however, 

 leave the mountains to visit the coast. I 

 found the first body of one in theGaudalupe 

 \'alley, 50 miles south of linsenada, in 

 1887, and again at a point south-east of 

 San Ouintin and not far from San F'er- 

 nando. 



"Quite likely their southern limit is 225 

 miles south of the United States, for the 

 Indians could give me no record from below 

 that ])oint. 



"On vSan Pedro Martir they are still not 

 uncommon, and resident. I saw them 

 there every da^', and on a few occasions 

 saw as many as three at once. 



"I ([uestioned the natives verj' closel\- re- 

 garding nests, and all assured me I would 

 find them along the Gulf side of the moun- 

 tains, which is not unlikely, though I never 

 saw a bird there. 



"The east side of the mountain is almost 



