Man, 1908 LIFE HISTORY OF THE CALIFORNIA CONDOR. PART III 65 



seemed to change tactics and to become quite meek. While we were getting pic- 

 tures of him, the parents sat about only a few feet away. They were almost devoid 

 of fear, for several times they stood within five or six feet of us in perfect uncon- 

 cern. Of course, we had been extremely careful from the first not to scare them 

 and not to make any quick movements while they were so near. In all our study 

 of the home life of these birds, there was never the slightest indication of ferocity 

 on the part of the parents. Their attitude was one of anxiety and solicitation. 



The last afternoon when we took the young condor out of his cave and he ap- 

 peared blindfolded, the mother jumped back as if scared, for she could hardly recog- 

 nize him without a head. We placed him on a narrow ledge of rock, removed the 

 blind and the mother edged down to her young. Then she began caressing him, 

 pushing her head under his wing and biting him gently on the leg. I never saw 

 a greater show of affection in any bird than the two condors seemed to have for 

 each other and for their young. The longer we studied and the more we watched 

 this family, the stronger our own attachment became for the birds. 



While we were taking our final pictures of the condor family, two more condors 

 appeared high above. With a field-glass, we recognized one as the former visitor, 

 the ragged bird with missing feathers in the wing and tail. The two new arrivals 

 sailed about in circles for a while and then we saw the ragged bird descending. 

 The father of the young condor seemed to get more anxious and flapped across the 

 canyon and back. On came the visitor till he was only a short distance above the 

 top of the mountain. Then the father sailed rapidly down the canyon and around 

 the bend out of sight. The third bird dropped lower and lower in circles while his 

 mate stayed higher up in the sky. The father of the young bird was gone about 

 five minutes, when he suddenly appeared right over the top of the mountain and 

 higher than the visitor. He had made a feint and got the advantage of position. 

 Drawing his wings partly in, he dove at the intruder who saw him coming and in- 

 creased his speed down the canyon. Dodging the enraged condor, he circled back 

 up a small side ravine and both disappeared behind the mountain. In a few min- 

 utes, they came into view again higher in the air and going toward the west, the 

 old condor flapping wildly to strike a blow and the pursued one dodging back and 

 forth to escape. They were undoubtedly two males, for the mother sat calmly 

 looking at the chase, while the mate of the ragged bird sailed about watching the 

 outcome. After another wait of several minutes, the two birds appeared again, but 

 far up in the sky; the ragged bird was flying straight to the east, still dodging the 

 mad condor at his tail. And on they went as far as I could see, with the mate of 

 the ragged bird following some distance in the rear. In about half an hour, the 

 father again appeared, sailing slowly back alone, victorious in the chase. 



Portland, Oi'egon. 



SPRING NOTES FROM SANTA CATADINA ISIvAND 



By CHARLES H. RICHARDSON, JR. 



SANTA Catalina Island lies about twenty-five miles off the coast of Los 

 Angeles County, California. It is an exposed portion of a mountain range, 

 of which the other islands of the Santa Barbara Group are a part, and is 

 twenty-three miles long with a maximum width of eight miles. The surface of 

 the Island is broken by many canyons, some short with steep, almost precipitous 



