102 



Bird - Lore 



consist of three cameras, which I shall attempt to describe. All three should be 

 of the 4x5 size, which gives satisfactory pictures, well adapted for enlarging 

 or reducing to lantern slides. Any attempt to use the larger sizes for field work 

 will but lead to labor and sorrow; for, unless the photographer is endowed 

 with the strength of a Hercules, he will find it a discouraging handicap to load 

 himself down with large cameras and a suppl\- of heavy plates. His strength- 



MrriHOD OF ATTACHIX 



will be taxed to the utmost, an\\vay, while struggling through the tangles of a 

 tropical forest, wading through almost impassal)le morasses or tramping for 

 miles over hot, yielding sands, where evcrv additional pound will count. 



The first camera to buy, which will ])n)l)ably prove the most useful nf all, 

 and which I should unhesitatingly select if 1 could have but one, should be a 

 small, light camera of the compact, folding type; but it should have sufficient 

 length of bellows to use the single combinations of a convertible lens, — at least 

 seventeen inches. The Telephoto 'Cycle Poco,' the 'Pony Premo,' the 'Cycle 

 Graphic,' and the 'Century Grand,' are good examples of this ty])e, but there 

 are many others just as good. It should be equipped with as good a lens as the 

 buyer's purse will allow; though the regular long focus symmetrical lenses that 

 come with these cameras are good enough for any ordinary work. The shutter 

 should be as noiseless as possible, — though none of tlicni arc absolutely so, — 

 and should have a finger release, as well as a bulb release. An automatic shutter 

 is worse than useless for bird jjhotography. as it is often necessary to release 



