132 BIRDS OF THE PLAINS 



agonies while changing the plates under the bedclothes. 

 Being anxious lest the light should reach the exposed 

 negatives, I wrapped them up very carefully, using 

 newspaper, which was the only wrapping available. 

 When I returned from the expedition I developed the 

 plates, but lo and behold ! instead of snowy peaks 

 and sunny valleys, advertisements of soaps and pills 

 appeared on the plates. Why do not books on the 

 camera tell one not to wrap up plates in newspaper? 

 I made a vow to leave photography to others, and I 

 kept the vow until I saw those young doves perched so 

 temptingly on the chik. 



Having risked both life and limb in mounting a chair 

 placed upon a table, I obtained a " snap " at the nest. 

 On developing the plate everything appeared with 

 admirable clearness except the nest. There was nothing 

 but a blur where this should have been ; the rest of the 

 chik came out splendidly. The only explanation of this 

 phenomenon that I can offer is the natural " cussed- 

 ness " of the camera. I have now renewed my vow to 

 eschew photography. 



The first young doves were successfully reared. No 

 sooner had they been driven forth into the world than 

 the parents set about repairing the nest, for doves are 

 not content with one brood ; when once a pair com- 

 mence nesting there is no knowing when they will stop. 

 As it was then April and the sun was growing uncom- 

 fortably hot, the letting down of the cJiik became a matter 

 of necessity, and this, of course, wrecked the nest. I 

 expected to see no more of the doves. In this I was mis- 

 taken. Before long they were billing and cooing as merrily 



