40 NEBRASKA ORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION 



A STORY THAT ENDS RIGHTLY 



FKANK H. SHOEMAKER, OMAHA 



One October day a hunter, for want of better game, shot at a red- 

 shouldered hawk, and the bird fell to the ground, alive, and to all 

 appearances uninjured. Not a drop of blood was to be seen, and not 

 3. feather was cut by the shot, but the bird seemed to have lost the 

 use of its wings. It was brought to town and given to a bird student, 

 and a day or two later was loaned to the writer as a subject for the 

 camera. The bird was taken home in a large pasteboard box and 

 placed temporarily upon a perch in the furnace room while the camera 

 and six plates were prepared. A little patch of natural woodland near 

 by was chosen as the most suitable place for photographing the bird. 

 The camera was placed accordingly, focused upon the horizontal trunk 

 of a gnarled cherry-tree. When all was ready, the hawk was coaxed 

 to perch upon a short stick, and thus carried, without any restraint, 

 to the place chosen. Twice the bird expanded its wings, but made no 

 effort to fly. It was placed upon the cherry-tree and settled content- 

 edly, though keenly watching every movement in the manipulation 

 of the camera. Over half an hour was taken to expose the six plates, 

 the position of the camera and the size and attitude of the subject being 

 varied for each exposure, the frontispiece of this number of the Pro- 

 ceedings being- the most satisfactory of the series, though every plate 

 was good. When the sixth plate was in the camera, and immediately 

 after its exposiire, the hawk, as though Avaiting for that event, sud- 

 denly spread its wings and mounted strongly above the tree-tops. 

 Round and round it circled, going higher and higher, until over a 

 hundred yards from the ground, when it settled into a steady flight 

 southward, with not a sign of weakness or wavering in the action of 

 its wings, finally disappearing in the distance. 



There was a considerable degree of discomfort in the memory that 

 the bird was a loan, but when the owner heard the details he declared 

 himself perfectly satisfied, as everyone should be. 



WATER FOR BIRDS 



ELSIE PEPOON, TABLE ROCK 



Last summer during the hot weather a small pond near our home, 

 where the birds were in the habit of drinking and bathing, went 

 dry. Not wishing the birds to go so far away for water, we had a 

 strong platform built in the crotch of a large mulberry tree that 

 stood about twenty-five feet from the house. The bottom of an old 

 jug that could be filled to an average dei)th of three inches was filled 

 and placed on it, and we awaited results. The platform was low — onlj^ 



