THE REFLECTING CAMERA 209 



The trophies would become too common if everyone 

 could secure them without effort. Midwinter is also 

 an excellent time to do this, for the auks, guillemots, 

 puffin, kittiwake, sea ducks, and other hardy fowl. 

 In the Christmas holidays I have seen the ocean off 

 Chatham fairly alive with these varieties, but it is 

 hard to get outside the dangerous harbor-bar. 



In visiting colonies of water-birds, the reflecting 

 camera is indispensable. The ordinary shutter is too 

 slow for the fluttering multitudes, but with the mirror 

 arrangement and the curtain shutter wonderful results 

 can be obtained. In such resorts one needs both cam- 

 eras — the reflecting one for flight pictures, and the 

 other for studies from the tent, though in some cases 

 the first can also be used there, if the birds do not 

 mind the sound of the curtain. The single lens will 

 be found very effective for picking out individual fly- 

 ing birds from a flock, or small groupings of them, 

 for wing studies. 



It is somewhat bewildering to watch the ground- 

 glass and see the images passing and repassing so 

 rapidly over its surface. One should first look 

 around for subjects approaching, then quickly get 

 them on the ground glass, keep them in focus as they 

 draw near, and snap the instant they are right. To 

 hesitate is to be lost. Anticipate their advance over 

 the plate just a little, yet not much, for the curtain is 

 released very swiftly, under strong pressure of the 

 lever. Still using the single lens, we may walk to- 

 ward birds alighted or on their nests and take them 



