The California Condor 



Taken in Los Angeles County Photo by W. L. Finley and H. T. Bohlman 



MATERNAL ANXIETY 



THIS IS THE MOTHER OF "GENERAL," THE FAMOUS CAPTIVE IN THE NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL PARK 



cattle-men, frenzied by the depredations of the coyotes, poisoned their 

 beef carcasses. The coyotes ate and were killed. Ergo, the Vultures, who 

 feasted with them, must have perished by scores. It sounds very plausible, 

 but I am not persuaded. Evidence is lacking to show that the Vultures 

 did die of poison. The question should have been very easy to determine. 

 Vultures lingered about their fallen prey and gorged to repletion. If 

 they fell, they must have fallen in their tracks, or at least in the open. 

 But there is no record of such destruction. There are two other alterna- 

 tives. A Condor's stomach can stand a great deal of abuse. Ptomaines, for 

 example, have no terrors for it. Again, a bird has unusual facilities, up 

 to a certain point, for "unswallowing" food which disagrees with it. In 

 such fashion I think our friend has succeeded in escaping the wholesale 

 punishment so generously meted out to it — on paper. Perhaps I am 

 wrong, but here at least is something to think about. 



1735 



