Photographing the Young Bird 445 
fairly successful. In every case I aimed at 35 to 4o seconds 
exposure. Once the camera slipped off its precarious stand on 
the sloping ledge and the film was wasted. 
I then replaced the 24-in. magnifier by the 18-in. one and 
gently pushed the camera 6 in. nearer. The first attempt was so 
far successful that I induced my subject to remain quiet for 35 
seconds and with the result shown. 
A second attempt was not so happy, for after twenty seconds I 
had quickly to close the shutter as the bird got restless and, rising 
up, settled down so as to present me with only a stern view. 
I now made a mistake and endeavoured to turn my recalcitrant 
sitter round. It at once rose in its wrath and gave vent to a 
twittering cry very much like an infant Griffon. I was preparing for 
the worst when to my great relief it subsided, eyeing me distrust- 
fully. Once again I got the camera to work but as I pressed the 
lever it rose and lurching forward to within a foot of the lens, 
subsided again, glaring at it ferociously, | kept the film exposed 
although the bird was obviously out of focus, but in about twenty- 
five seconds its patience gave out and it made a determined attempt 
to grab at the objectionable camera to his front, so I closed the 
shutter. The result, as may be expected, was not very successful 
but in the peculiar circumstances it has been given. 
I subsequently reverted to the 24-in. magnifier and took three 
more pictures, in two of which the bird, now thoroughly upset, 
moved badly. The third was successful and, further, gave me a 
good view of the roof of the cavern which, as matters turned out, 
yas extremely useful to me when subsequently engaged in com- 
piling the larger picture of the nest. 
It was now nearly half-past one o’clock and I had been cramped 
up in the cavern for over eighty minutes. I had now to decide on 
the fate of the young bird which I would have much liked to 
take back to my aviaries in England. It was of the age when 
