pa e et baoeN abe UsS isi LN 5 
Condor Protection. The prospects for survival of the California condor 
have been greatly improved by an order signed by the Secretary of the 
Interior, Oscar L. Chapman, withdrawing from entry under the mining 
laws, the larger portion of the region where this rare bird now breeds. The 
area comprises approximately 35,200 acres or 55 sections. The condor 
refuge created also involves 37 additional sections where gas and oil leases 
may be granted with the stipulation that no entry may be made on the 
surface of any land within half a mile of any condor nest known to have 
been active within three years. 
As reported this past summer, there are only about 60 California con- 
dors left, and they live in a small portion of the Los Pedros National Forest 
in Ventura County, California, roughly about 100 miles north of Los 
Angeles. Nesting birds lay only one egg, and that only once in two or three 
years. The National Audubon Society, the University of California, and the 
U.S. Forest Service have been trying for more than ten years to provide 
protection for the condor. The holders of oil leases have refused to sign an 
agreement. There was an interesting story in the April 7 issue of the Satur- 
day Evening Post about the history of efforts to establish this refuge. 
The order does not affect valid existing rights, and consequently the full 
effectiveness of the order will not be realized until the last of these leases 
has expired. The prospects of finding gas or oil in paying quantities in this 
region are said to be so poor that it is unlikely that the present holders of 
leases will cause much trouble. 
The National Audubon Society and the U S. Forest Service have agreed 
to share the cost of providing a special warden. More details about the 
negotiations appeared in the March-April number of the Audubon Magazine. 
fH ft er 
Resignation of Mr. Drury. Secretary of the Interior Oscar L. Chapman 
announced on February 6 the resignation of Newton B. Drury as Director 
of the National Parks Service. This was done with no word of appreciation 
of the fine public service of this able and conscientious administrator for 
eleven years. The resignation was requested. 
When Horace Allbright resigned as Director of the National Parks 
Service, the then Secretary of the Interior, Harold Ickes, on the unanimous 
advice of the Advisory Board for the National Parks Service, asked Mr. 
Drury to take this position. He declined because he felt under obligation to 
continue his work as secretary of the Save the Redwoods League. Later 
when the position again became vacant, he was urged again to take it, 
and accepted. 
During the war years, when the Department of the Interior had its 
offices in Chicago, I had the good fortune to get very well acquainted with 
Mr. Drury, and developed a deep affection and admiration for him. Con- 
sequently, I was surprised, indignant, and depressed when news of this 
affair came to me (but not from him) during the winter from time to time. 
Conservationists have been unanimous in their criticism of the persons 
responsible for this regrettable action. It was reported to me that “Wash- 
ington papers were full of it” for several weeks, also that there was talk 
