232^ HOW TO STUDY BIRDS 



yet it Is well worth while, if only for the sake of 

 the pleasant acquaintances and associations which it 

 secures. The general literary field is a harder one 

 to enter, yet from the ranks of the amateur contribu- 

 tor the nature-writers of the future are to come. 

 Much possible Inspiring literature may be lost if the 

 new generation of lovers of the birds hide their light 

 under the bushel or bury their talent In the earth. 



The bird-lover who uses the camera has a wide 

 realm of fascinating winter or evening employment 

 opened up. First, and possibly more prosaic, yet In- 

 teresting to the collector, those negatives, the trophies 

 of the chase, must be cared for. Manila envelopes 

 or " negative preservers," of the right size, should 

 be secured from the photo dealer, and each negative 

 placed In an envelope, labeled, and catalogued. If 

 the series ever gets as large as mine — which now 

 numbers some five thousand, and is rapidly growing 

 — this will take a good many evenings. 



In various cases the image of the bird needs to be 

 enlarged, to make the best possible picture. If It 

 be perfectly sharp It can be successfully thrown up 

 from two to four diameters. For this there are 

 various methods. A single enlargement on bromide 

 or velox paper can be made, but personally I prefer 

 to have an enlarged negative from which I can print 

 at will, on any sort of paper. For this I use the day- 

 light process, simply placing two cameras with long 

 bellows on a board with an upward slant at a window 

 looking out upon a clear, unobstructed sky space. 



