Condor Egg Hatched in Incubator
Condor Egg Hatched in Incubator.-An egg of a South American & Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus) was successfully incubated and hatched on June 1, 1950, in the Zoological Gardens of San Diego. The egg, which measured 76 mm. x 113 mm., was placed in the Zoo’s incubator on April 7, one day after it was laid. The incubation period was 56 days. The temperature within the egg chamber was kept at 94”F., the humidity of the machine at 84 per cent. This egg was turned three times each day by hand.
The young Condor, a female, weighed 9 oz. thirty minutes after hatching. From previous experience with four males and three females raised in San Diego, sex of a newly hatched bird of this species can be determined by presence or absence of a fleshy caruncle on the head. The body length measured 20 mm.; width across the back 7 mm., tiing length 6.5 mm. When first hatched, this bird appeared naked and eight hours passed before the body was dry and covered with a complete vestment of Soft gray-black down.
We believe this to be the first successful attempt in incubating a Condor egg in a machine.- KENTON C. LINT, Zoological Society of San Diego, San Diego, California, September 13,1950
