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Show HIS CONSCIENCE IN REVOLT Killer of Condors Refused to Practice Profession for Any Paltry Remuneration. In his book, "In the Wilds of South America," Mr. Leo E. Miller tells u that when he went into Argentina on a collecting trip he found Italian who claimed to be the champion con' dor hunter of all South America. During Dur-ing ten years he had killed more than sixteen thousand of the magnificent birds. His record for one day was 114. Naturally, they had become greatly reduced In number, for a con-tlor con-tlor lays no more than two eggs, and It takes many months to rear the young. The man's method was to drive a burro to some lonely gorge among the bleak mountain tops favored by the birds and then kill the animal. He was very particular in stating that the burro had to be fat a poor one would not do for bait. He then spread nets about the carcass, and when the condors con-dors had gathered about to feast he pulled a rope and ensnared them. On ore occasion he snared 67 at one throw of the net. The captured birds were dispatched with a club and the long-wing feathers extracted, to be exported ex-ported to France Jo decorate women's hats. With his accumulated wealth he built a powder mill, but it promptly blew up. and he was virtually penniless. penni-less. Of course there were condors in the mountains In fact, he knew of a ledge where more than eight hundred hun-dred birds were accustomed to congregate congre-gate to spend the night; but the price of feathers had gone down 50 per cent. He ended his speech in a very dramatic dra-matic manner. "What," he said, "me go out and slaughter such a wonderful, magnificent magnifi-cent and rave a bird as the condor for ten pesos each? No, senor! Not me!" |