Mar., 1907 



AN EXPERIENCE WITH THE SOUTH AMERICAN CONDOR 



47 



range to the Atlantic coast where it and the native wild dog are the chief scavengers. 



The measurements of our group of birds tally with the average given for the 

 condor, tho it is said that a species inhabiting the heights of Equador has a much 

 larger extent of wings and it may be a larger bird. The male's length was four 

 feet one inch, with an extent of wnngs of nine feet. The female, the exception in 

 this family of vultures, was smaller than the male, measuring but three feet seven 

 inches in length, with a wing extent of seven feet eleven inches. The young bird 

 (there are said to be usually two) was a female, three feet in length with what 

 seemed unusually large feet. She was clothed in a mouse-colored down with wing 

 pinions and tail feathers just approaching maturity. Her collarette of white had 

 not 3^et appeared. Judging from the historv of the condor, since it is said to spend 

 the first two years of its life in the nest, this young bird must have been at least a 

 year old. 



The question of the age of the young specimen is an interesting one, in view of 



JfALE (at right) and female SOUTH AMERICAN CONDORS; 

 PHOTOGRAPHED FROM FRESHLY-KILLED SPECIMENS 



the fact that the statement is made in at least one publication that the young 

 condor remains in the nest for nearly two years. Our specimen was taken during 

 the latter part of the first autumnal month in the southern hemisphere. If it was 

 born during that season it could not have been niore^ than four or five months of 

 age. It does not look reasonable that the bird could have been in the nest since 

 the previous warm season. The snow and ice of the winter of 1904 in Patagonia 

 came during the early part of May leaving little time for the maturity of the fledg- 

 ling preparatory to the weathering of so severe a season since it would still have to 

 depend on its parents for food. From the immature condition of its feathers, tho 

 it was large in body, I am of the opinion that this bird was about four or five 

 months old, and that it would have remained in the nest until the following spring 

 when it would have been able to fly and hunt with its parents, thus leaving the 

 nest in one year. There being but one young bird in the nest would tend also to 

 discredit the accuracy of the statement that there are two eggs deposited in 

 a nest. 



