192 



Camera Craft Notesi [j^, "j"^ 



Several times in the course of the afternoon tliese long periods 

 of absence occurred. Finally the female bird entered the nest 

 and remained there. But she kept a bright look-out, as the 

 position of the head and expression of the eye in the photograph 

 indicate. It is not often that one has an opportunity of photo- 

 graphing a Scrub-Wren in its nest.— Charles Barrett. Mel- 

 bourne, 12/11/ 15. 



Stray Feathers. 



Birds Under Shell Fire.— The following is an extract from a 

 letter written by a machine-gun man of the 21st Battalion : — 

 " A rather curious incident took place a few days ago, which 

 might well be termed, ' in the midst of war we are in peace.' Just 

 at the first streak of daylight a rather hvely artillery demonstra- 

 tion started. Three battleships and fourteen of our field-guns 

 were shelling a Turkish position about 70 yards in front of our 

 particular bit of breastwork. I happened to be observing at the 

 time, and whilst I was crouching down on the parapet, trying to 

 look 'as much hke a sandbag as possible, two Sparrows liew along 

 and perched on my wrist. They preened their feathers and 

 chirped to each other for fully a minute before flying away. This 

 was whilst high explosive shells were screaming overhead at only 

 few second intervals and bursting less than a hundred yards away." 



Hawks in Egypt. — Following is an extract from a letter written 

 by Mr. Arthur Swindells, R.A.O.U., now on service at the 

 Dardanelles :— " Yesterday three of us hired a gharry and drove 

 round the old mosques and tombs. From the top of one mosque, 

 with a most unpronounceable name, we had a grand view of Cairo. 

 I counted 173 steps as I ascended, and then gave up, as the view- 

 claimed my attention. . . . What interested me more than 

 anything about the great mass of masonry, now fallen into disuse, 

 and over 1,020 years old, was the number of niches in the high 

 walls, from 'which flew Hawks in dozens. The nests could plainly 

 be se'en, and I was sorely tempted to essay a climb, but, alas ! 

 when I 'suggested the idea to the guide he immediately became 

 horrified and gesticulated wildly, calling on Mahomed and Allah 

 to vent his wrath on the heathen who would dare profane the 

 sacred walls. As he seemed to take the matter so badly, I thought 

 it well to stifle my desires, but my fingers just itched to get at 

 those nests. However, when on the parapets I did manage to 

 elude his vigilant eye for a moment and skip along to a place 

 where I could lean over and see a nest with downy young. The 

 guide afterwards showed us bowls of water placed in various parts 

 for use of the birds. Evidently they regard these Hawks with 

 a special veneration. The Hawk is about the size of our Brown 

 Hawk, and not unHke the Harrier. They are here in hundreds, 



