BECOMING AN ILLUSTRATOR 51 



most of the clothing worn by my daughter; so I 

 was what rui^ht have been considered a busy 

 person. 



My first feeling on going afield was one of amaze- 

 ment at what my early days among the birds had 

 taught me. Then I was merely amusing myself, 

 following inborn tendencies. Now I learned with 

 every approach to the home of a bird that I was 

 using knowledge acquired in childhood. I knew 

 what location each bird would choose for her nest, 

 how she would build it, brood, and care for her 

 young. When I wanted the picture of any particu- 

 lar bird I knew exactly where to search for its 

 nest, so no time was wasted. When I found a 

 nest, all that was necessary was to set up a camera 

 before it, focus it sharply, cover the camera to the 

 lens with a green cloth or a few twigs, then repeat 

 the methods of childhood. The birds had not 

 changed in the slightest; nor had I. By using 

 tact, patience, and plain common sense, and draw- 

 ing on former experience, in three days or less I 

 was on a working basis with any nest of birds I 

 ever attempted to cultivate, so that I could secure 

 poses of the old birds performing every action of 

 their lives anywhere in the locality of their nests. 



I have reproduced birds in fear, anger, greed, 

 pride, surprise, in full tide of song, while dressing 

 their plumage, taking a sun bath, courting, brood- 

 ing, and carrying food to their young. My 

 procedure was merely to turn child's play into 



