THREE GREAT BIRDS 189 



from the fact that when closely pursued the 

 bird will suddenly squat down, and so nearly 

 does it resemble the ground in color that, un- 

 less it were in a very open country and being 

 closely watched, it then becomes almost in- 

 visible. 



"It is amusing to see the very young chicks 

 of our own birds, when not more than a couple 

 of weeks old, sometimes when we are trying 

 to catch them, suddenly squat down in this 

 fashion, although they have never seen the 

 older birds do it ; it seems to be an instinct by 

 heredity." 



This last little incident is, I think, particu- 

 larly interesting as adding to the proof that 

 it is not even necessary for the parents of 

 wild creatures to "teach" their young ones 

 what to do, as stated by so many writers. 

 It is all more or less a matter of instinct with 

 them. 



As the ostrich is the largest and most power- 

 ful of all birds, so the condor is the largest 

 of all the birds of prey. The California con- 

 dor is, among all naturalists, the most cele- 



