california Condor Eben Mcmillan 27 July 1963 at 2:05 P.m., from my living room, where I sat near the window writing notes of the Condor study, I noted the shadow of a bird pass across the front yard that appeared to be larger than the shadow of Buzzards that had been circling my house, that is something not unusual when squirrels that are shot when they enter the garden or lawn area are tossed nearby, or when any of the numerous Cottontail Rabbits about my place die and are likewise tossed, a few hundred feet from the house. Upon stepping outdoors I saw an adult Condor, in full lowering flex glide (see margin) passing over my house, about 500 feet in height, traveling in a westerly direction but definitely losing altitude quite fast. After passing on westward about 1/4 mile this Condor circled about, came back over the house this time quite low, made two more tight circles about 200 yards west of my buildings and alighted near where several Buzzards were feeding on the carcass of a large Tom Cat that my son had shot last evening and [illegible] the body of which I had tossed out on this hillside only this morning at 9:00 A.M. I walked down the hill below my house from where I could get an unobstructed view of the area where the Condor had alighted. From the protection of a small tree I watched the Condor sit for some minutes about 6 feet above the carcass of the cat on which two Buzzards were feeding with four or five other Buzzards standing nearby also. The Condor gave no indication of being hungry or competitive about the carcass but stood looking down at the carcass and the Buzzards feeding on it. At times the Condor preened at the feathers on its neck. Something caused all the Buzzards, and the Condor, to quickly take to the wing. I saw, nor heard anything I could attribute to their all flying away from the -