BIRDS WITH A HANDICAP 



smaller birds were trying to drive it off. As we stood 

 in a little open place in the woods, it chanced that I was 

 within three feet of a Whippoorwill on its nest. I 

 should never in the world have seen it even then, had 

 not the bird become uneasy over our talking and 

 flushed. There were the two eggs, unusually elongated 

 and very beautifully marked, evidently freshly laid. 



A heavy rain storm was just beginning, so I had to 

 postpone my photographing, and was not able to return 

 till the next w^eek. The bird was on the nest, but so 

 still and inconspicuous that for the life of me I could 

 not see where she was, until in my blundering I started 

 her off. As on the previous occasion, I set the camera 

 on a pile of dead leaves, on a very short tripod. It was 

 a couple of hours before she w^as back on the nest, and 

 then I pulled the thread, first to open the shutter, and 

 ten seconds later to close it. I could see that she re- 

 mained motionless. Then I crept up silently on hands 

 and knees to change the plate behind the camera, 

 thinking that possibly she might not start. She was 

 now tamer than I had dared to hope. Not only did 

 she let me change the plate and take her again, but she 

 allowed me to move the camera nearer, within two or 

 three feet, and take long-timed exposures for fine detail, 

 with the lens stopped down to a very small opening. 

 The resulting pictures were all that I could possibly 

 desire. I visited her again from time to time with Ned. 

 He took some fine pictures all by himself, as good as 

 mine, and I got a few more. Now we could walk 



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