^THE # OOLOGIST,^ 



YOL. VII. 



ALBION N. Y., SEP, 1890. 



No. 9 



The Use of the Camera in the Field. 



We shall suggest in tills article some 

 ■applieatiou of pliotograpliy to the study 

 'of ornith()log3% alluding partieularly to 

 the use of the cameVa in studying nests 

 and nesting sites of birds; and l)nefly 

 lo the climatic and botanical influences 

 Upon the bird at the time of nesting. 



We hope that ornithological photo- 

 graphy will claim some part of your 

 attention, The beauties of njiturQ 

 which are so manifested in the 

 featliered tribes and their modes of 

 aiesting will surely create a desire to 

 jihotograph them, Avhile as regards the 

 ItVtter it should not be forgotten that in 

 bird al'C'liiti't'ture there lies hidden in a 

 great measure, "a key to the minds and 

 thougiits of the birds." 



If wc could steal quietly upon a n(»st 

 every day during construction and 

 from the same point each day lake a 

 photograph, carefullj' noting the 

 ^.hanges which have occurred, which 

 iire not shown in tlie pictuie. would 

 not our .series when complete bring to 

 •our knowledge many interesting facts? 

 (however not forgetting to note the 

 condition of the weather.) 



J venture an answer; It would pro\e 

 far more instructive than a series of 

 eggs; prove whether nesting was car- 

 ried on steadily or was influenced by 

 cloudy, rainy or windy days or violent 

 .storms; last but not least, the exact 

 jiumlier of days occupied in the con- 

 struction. 



It would show wliere new material 

 was daily woven in or added; the 

 anuson work as it progressed; the 

 lichen overlaying or downy lining as 

 'the case might l)e, until the structure 

 W:i>< complete. 



Ijirds to forsake the nest remains to l»c 

 found out. 



To those who feel disposed to attempt 

 another difficult subject, we will say 

 that we liave yet to see a series of phc- 

 tograplis illustrative of the develoi;- 

 ment of tlie chick in the egg. Another, 

 but less diflicult subject could lie svg- 

 gested: A series of photographs illus- 

 trating the growth of young birds. 



During our spring-time rambles in 

 woodj meiidow and marsh is there not 

 many a Uest beautifully constructed 

 upon which we look with admiration 

 and delight; many a nest neatly woven 

 showing the artistic taste of Warbler 

 and Oriole in the choice of site and 

 selection of material; nests judiciously 

 concealed whicii baffle our wits to dis- 

 cover; scores of nests of all sizes, stmie 

 plain, others beautiful; which are com- 

 mon sights to us and which we keep to 

 ourselves or forget as years come and 

 go? 



Would not phot(»graphs of nests of 

 birds whicli are not common in 3-our 

 locality be exceedingly interesting to 

 your oological friends in remote dis- 

 tricts where such Ijirds never venture, 

 if not interesting to yourselves? 



Who can describe the maguiticence 

 of the architecture of some birds. We 

 are too ignorant of the grandeur which 

 lies hidden in remote localities and will 

 be unless we see it with our own eyes. 

 Is it not possil)Ie for us to have these 

 sights brought to us by the valuable 

 assistance of photography? 



Oh, readers! if we would collect fewer 

 sets and pay more attention to the 

 nests and their composition; more at- 

 tention to the birds and their habits; 

 and have more pictures showing nest- 

 ing sites, form, etc., we would learn 

 Wliether or not, it is possible to com- 1 »i"*^"b more, and find our collections 



plete such a series without causing the '"'^^■*' ^'^In^'b^e and interesting. We are 

 ^ " 1 too anxious tor large series and a great 



