Photographing Birds 



the eggs to hatch. If, as most often happens, 

 the old bird is frightened away from the nest 

 during the process, a thread is attached so that 

 the picture may be snapped from a distance 

 of twenty or thirty feet or more. A few 

 leaves placed so as to conceal the camera as 

 much as possible may be necessary, when the 

 birds are timid. The camera all set, the next 

 thing is to find concealment in tall grass or 

 behind a bush, from where the nest may be 

 viewed and the thread pulled. The old bird 

 is very reluctant to leave the eggs exposed 

 during the period of a few days preceding the 

 hatching, and at this crucial time will seldom 

 cause one to wait long before she overcomes 

 her fear and returns. The various poses of 

 the bird as it alights at the nest, inspects the 

 eggs, and, finally, tucking them skillfully 

 under her, settles down to brood, offer oppor- 

 tunities for a series of photographs, valuable 

 both from artistic and scientific standpoints. 



83 



