BIRDS OF PREY 135 



Club it has been protected, and according to latest 

 reports it is increasing in numbers. 



On his first trip to California, the Eastern bird-lovef 

 expects to see these birds soaring majestically over every 

 mountain, and is disappointed when he has remained a 

 year, or two, or three, with never a glimpse of one, 

 although right in the Condor range. The truth is the 

 Condors keep well back in the hidden and inaccessible 

 parts of the mountains, and if you would see one, you 

 must go where they are and see the sun rise, — as they 

 do ; for the Condor seeks his prey as soon as the sunlight 

 has reached the valleys and before the world is fairly 

 astir. Then you may see him on glorious wings, circling, 

 circling, with scarcely a movement save of his head, 

 which, stretched out before him, turns this way and 

 that. He is magnificent to look at, — nearly eleven feet 

 from tip of wing to tip of wing, — but in some ways he 

 is very stupid. All vultures are stupid. Although so 

 keen of vision that you can never hope to conceal your 

 presence from him, yet he will betray his nest and make 

 no effort to lead you from it by the wise feints of smaller 

 birds. Thus in the animal world nature compensates 

 for great strength and ferocity by giving the quicker 

 instincts to the hunted, not to the hunters. The Condor's 

 senses are keen to show him where to obtain food, and 

 his wings are strong ; but, in danger from no creature, 

 he has not been trained to protect himself. He gorges, 

 is satisfied, and sleeps with no need of precaution for 

 self or young, because, unless his food be poisoned, what 

 has he to fear? The young Condor reared by Mr. 



