Vol.xyiii.j Camera Craft Notes. 309 



breasted Robins {Petroica leggii) which had their trim little nest 

 in an apple-tree in the orchard of Mr. C. P. Kinane, at Lilydale 

 (Vic.) The accompanying picture — the best result of several 

 exposures — is not intended to illustrate this point, however, so 

 much as the trust of a bird when it is treated with consideration. 

 Both Mr. Kinane (who, as one of the journalistic " Woodlanders," 

 will be remembered in Melbourne as an enthusiastic bird- 

 photographer of other days) and his good wife are on fraternal 

 terms with the bush-birds, and, as a natural corollary, these Robins 

 evinced but little fear of the camera. In most cases a bird will 

 fly off at the click of the shutter ; but on this occasion I was able, 

 with the camera close to the nest, to photograph the little mother, 

 change the slide, secure a fresh focus, and take another study, 

 without causing the sitting bird to leave the eggs. The picture 

 shows with what keen attention, however, she watched the 

 strange proceedings. 



The study of the Black-faced Flycatcher {Monarcha carinata) 

 represents another unusual event in the photography of wild 

 birds. This species was found by the Brisbane Field Naturalists' 

 Club to be very numerous in the thick, damp jungle of the 

 Macpherson Range, when that splendid bird country (which has 

 been reserved as a National Park for Queensland) was visited by 

 club members from last Christmas to New Year. On every part 

 of Mount Bithongabel, which looks almost sheer down, from a 

 height of nearly 4,000 feet, into New South Wales, the strenuous 

 " Why-you ! whit-choo ! " of these birds could be heard. Only 

 one nest was found, however, and that by accident. It was an 

 exceedingly pretty bird-home, the dark green, mossy tendrils 

 which mainly comprised the material harmonizing splendidly 

 with the obsessing greenness of the surrounding vegetation. The 

 fork of the pliable branch on which the nest was placed was only 

 about 7 feet from the ground, and undoubtedly the opportunity 

 for photographs would have been excellent had it not been for 

 the poor light in the tangle, even at mid-day. Lacking the re- 

 flective mirror which is so favoured of Mr. Herbert K. Job * and 

 other American bird-photographers, it was impossible to take 

 instantaneous pictures, and, as any attempt to get the nest into 

 brighter light would have menaced the callow young, there was 

 nothing for it but to try " time " exposures. To photograph a 

 bird in this way as it sits on the nest is not remarkable, but this 

 was the first occasion on which I have been able to take a "time " 

 picture of a bird as it perched above a nest. The trustfulness of 

 the Flycatchers was due, of course, to the fact that there is very 

 seldom human intrusion into those lonely wilds. Incidentally, 

 the birds were a devoted pair ; both paid close attention to the 

 young ones, and on several occasions the male fed the female 

 at the nest, after the fashion of Eopsaltria. — ^A. H. Chisholm. 

 Brisbane, February, 1919. 



* " The Sport of Bird Study." 



