370 Kansas Academy of Science. 



the movement of the cheaper grade of between-lens shutters I have 

 found both discouraging and expensive. 



The size of the plate to be used is a matter for the operator to 

 determine for himself. I consider a 4x5 the most satisfactory size, 

 but with this plate I should use a lens listed to cover a larger plate; 

 that is, I should use a lens having a focal length of 8 or 8| inches 

 instead of one of 6 or 6| inches, the size usually supplied with 4x5 

 cameras. The advantage in this combination lies in this : (1) Pho- 

 tographs with images of the desired size can be secured with a lena 

 of 8-inch focal length at a greater distance from the object than 

 with one of 6-inch focal length, and thus the photographer may 

 work at a greater distance from the birds; (2) this increased dis- 

 tance from the object made possible by the use of the larger lens 

 increases the volume of light admitted to the 4x5 plate during the 

 brief exposure rendered imperative by the nature of the subject ; 

 and (3) better definition is secured, since only the center of the 

 field of the lens is utilized. 



Another important consideration is the plate to be used. The 

 fastest plate made is none too fast for this work. It is not so im- 

 portant that the photographer choose this brand of plates or that 

 brand, as it is that he choose a good brand and then stick to it. It 

 required an entire season to convince me of this necessity, but 

 since the first year I have always used one brand of plates; not be- 

 cause I believe it is the best plate made, but because I have learned 

 how to use this plate, have made myself familiar with its possibili- 

 ties, and know just what I can do with it under given conditions 

 of light. The photographer must know when he can and when he 

 cannot secure a good negative with a given exposure, and this 

 knowledge the amateur is not likely to acquire by using first one 

 brand of plates and then another. Select a fast plate of known 

 quality and stick to it; do not add to the diflBculties by using plates 

 with whose possibilities you are unfamiliar. 



Selecting an equipment is a small matter — the real work begins 

 when we set out to secure the photographs. The birds refuse to 

 pose for us and as a rule build their nests in situations that seem 

 to be selected with the" express purpose of baffling the photogra- 

 pher. To secure photographs of nests and nesting sites, however, 

 is not a task of great difficulty, since with these we may use time 

 exposures. But when it comes to securing photographs of the 

 birds themselves, especially when they are busy feeding and caring 

 for their young in the nest, we have a task of quite another char- 

 acter. 



