USING THE ORDINARY CAMERA 189 



get over their alarm, else they will immediately flut- 

 ter out. 



Often one will come across a youngster out of the 

 nest, able to fly just a little. If possible photograph 

 it as first found, without disturbing it, for then it will 

 often stand perfectly still, whereas if it is handled 

 there will ensue a constant struggle to escape and it 

 is a hard task to photograph it. If tethered it will 

 make repeated efforts to get away, but at length, tir- 

 ing, it will remain still. 



The finding of nests gives the best of opportuni- 

 ties for photographing adult birds. Some few birds 

 while incubating are so tame that they will remain 

 on the nest and let us photograph them at will. The 

 woodcock is the best subject of this sort. The 

 mother bird will sit like a rock, and even let one 

 handle her. Some small birds will remain if one ap- 

 proaches very slowly and silently, making no quick 

 motion. Thus, for instance, I have photographed 

 the red-eyed and white-eyed vireos, wood thrush, 

 chippy, chestnut-sided warbler, cuckoo, rose-breasted 

 grosbeak, and others. Generally one must use the 

 single lens, to get the picture from farther away, as 

 the bird will seldom let one get very close. Even 

 thus the picture usually needs enlargement. Here 

 one could use the telephoto, but amid foliage it is 

 hard to see through it to focus, and it lacks depth of 

 focus, unless considerably stopped down, when it is 

 very slow. 



Ordinarily it is necessary to leave the camera set 



