470 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



dead leaves, feathers and bits of bark, lay a 

 single great pale bluish-white egg. Within the 

 shell was slowly developing the embryo of 

 General, who, seven months later, was destined 

 to spread his wings and soar about the flying 

 cage in our Zoological Park. 



The next visit to the nest of the Condor was 

 made by Mr. Finley on March 23rd, and most 

 opjsortunely, as General had just hatched, and 

 lay helpless, a pitiful little object, bald-headed, 

 and scantily clad in white down. The head, neck 

 and feet were pink, and the newly-hatched Con- 

 dor weighed less than a pound. The mother 

 would not leave her chick and made no resistance 

 when it was lifted out to be photographed. A 

 cold rain was falling, and the chick became 

 chilled and stiff. The adult Condor paid no at- 

 tention to the young bird until, after being 

 warmed by Mr. Finley into renewed strength, 

 it moved feebly, when the great bird drew it 

 toward her with her bill and crouched gently 

 over it. 



It is an interesting fact that the head of the 

 newly-hatched chick and that of the adult are 

 bare of feathers, while in the immature bird the 

 head for the first few years is covered with a 

 dense coating of furry down. 



On April 11th, a third trip was paid to the 

 Condor's nest and the chick was found to have 

 grown rapidly, and was covered with gray in- 

 stead of white down. The head had become dull 

 yellow, and most interesting of all, it had a 

 voice, — a hoarse tooting, the only real note 

 which any New World Vulture has ever been 

 known to produce. As witli brown pelicans, this 

 is apparently soon lost. 



On April 25th, when the young bird was 

 thirty-five days old, it was as large as a hen. 

 It showed fight at first, and strenuously ob- 

 jected to being carried out into the sunlight. 

 During this and several later trips the fearless- 

 ness of the old birds was most noticeable. The 

 adult birds became used to seeing Mr. Finley 

 about and, as in captivity, would sometimes come 

 within arm's reach and nibble at a glove or shoe. 

 This of course gave splendid opportunities for 

 photographs, and a large series of the old birds, 

 both in flight and repose, was obtained. Mr. 

 Finley says, "In all our study of the home life 

 of these birds, there was never the slightest in- 

 dication of ferocity on the part of the parents. 

 Their attitude was one of anxiety and solicitude." 



When fifty-four days old the young Condor 

 was still clothed in gray down, and not until it 

 was over two months old did the first black 

 feathers appear on the wings. 



On July 5th, when three and a half months of 

 age, General was removed from his nest. At 



this time he was not half feathered out but 

 weighed over fifteen pounds. On July 7th he 

 was shipped to Portland, Oregon, where he was 

 kept, and by his affectionate disposition won the 

 hearts of his friends. 



In October of the same year he reached the 

 New York Zoological Park. May he thrive for 

 many years in his new home, and may his 

 parents rear their future chicks in safety, and 

 help to keep this splendid species from the 

 catastrophe of extermination. 



ACCLIMATIZING THE GRAY SQUIRREL. 



IN view of all circumstances, it is rather sur- 

 prising that so very few city parks in America 

 contain colonies of gray squirrels. The squir- 

 rel itself is beautiful, its manners are very in- 

 teresting, it accepts Park life with cheerful con- 

 fidence, and every honest and intelligent human 

 being delights in its acquaintance. To children, 

 especially, it is a source of delight. 



In any public park the society of the gray 

 squirrel is procurable for an initial expenditure 

 of about $50 and we need not consider the cost 

 per annum for maintenance. How can any 

 village or city invest $50 or $75 in any other 

 way which will yield as great dividends per an- 

 num as by effectively introducing Sciurus caroli- 

 nensis? We cannot answer. And quite aside 

 from the daily yield of human delight per squir- 

 rel, another great gain must be recorded. Squir- 

 rels in a public park teach children and restless 

 boys to enjoy wild creatures without killing 

 them; to love animals for their intelligence and 

 their beauty, rather than as targets for small 

 rifles; in short, to conserve and enjoy, instead 

 of ruthlessly destroying. 



How can a park be stocked with gray squir- 

 rels? The answer is easy. Make a dozen or 

 twenty boxes, of bark-covered slabs if you have 

 them, but otherwise of plain boards. Build 

 each box like a small chimney, nine inches 

 square inside, and about eighteen inches high. 

 Saw off the upper end on a good slant, and nail 

 on a one-board roof, twelve inches wide, so that 

 it will keep out rain. Above and below, the 

 roof should overhang generously, especially on 

 the lower side. Put a bottom into the lower 

 end, but bore a few small holes in it, to drain 

 it in case water should ever enter the interior. 

 Somewhere at the upper end of the box, in a 

 position easily accessible from the tree trunk, 

 cut a hole about three and a half inches in 

 diameter. 



Finally, nail the nest-box tightly in a crotch 

 or against the trunk of any tree you please, 

 about twenty feet from the ground. If red 



