P_158 Continued- Caliente California Condor Eben Hickman 3 July 1963 Mr. McCaskay thought that Condor were probably always in his area but were never noticed until about 30 years ago when the Squirrels were first poisoned on a County-wide basis. He thought People became conscious of Seeing Condor at this time. Mr. McCaskay stated that in his youth - 50 to 60 years ago, his Sheep were in the Sierra foothills. Now he says there are but few sheep left anywhere in his section. Condor Sanctuary Mr. McCaskay also told of a Mr. Arthur Crites who has property in the Tehachapi area and who also had lease holding for Oil in the Sespe and Popper Canyons of Ventura County where the U.S. Forest Service was instituting the program to set aside the areas now known as the Condor Preserve or Sanctuary. It was at this time, and in opposition to the setting aside of these areas, that Mr. Arthur Crites came and attended meetings in Caliente trying to recruit supporters in a move to oppose the setting aside of the Condor Sanctuary. Ventura County, Mr. McCaskay said that support for the preservation of Condor and the setting aside of the Sanctuary was being promoted on the grounds that Condor were about distinct and that only 8 or 10 birds still remained. It was in opposition to this claim, and as a means to show that there were all sorts of Condor remaining, that this Mr. Crites used the observation of Mr. McCaskay when he saw the great number of Condor, bending down the limbs of the Oak trees in the flats. Now least of his house and mentioned before in these Notes. On direct questioning Mr. McCaskay would not put a random figure on the number of Condor he thought were gathered together near his place at that time. We stopped in the town of Caliente and talked with Henry Lusin, an old timer of the Caliente area who said he had not seen Condor for several years. He advised me to go to Walker Basin if I wanted to see Condor. We used,