508 NATURE PICTURES. 



human eye itself is scarcely quick enough to take note of these things, 

 and it is to the camera that we must turn, and use it as eye, notebook, 

 and pencil. It was the realization of this fact that led me finally to try 

 the fascinating but difficult task of photographing the living bird. 



To begin with, onl}^ nestlings were m}^ models, and I was delighted 

 with the results — no glass eyes nor dried-up legs to mar the picture, 

 but expressions as varied as they were beautiful, and positions entirely 

 different from those seen in mounted specimens. These successes led 

 me, of course, to attempt photographing the adult bird, and I made 

 many experiments with tame birds. It was necessary to have a place 

 arranged so that there might be abundant light; and to avoid same- 

 ness in the arrangement of the lighting, the contrivance must be 

 movable. I made a wooden plate form (supported on two light 

 wooden horses) about 6 feet long, and covered it with mosquito netting- 

 stretched on a light framework. The background was of wood, 

 to which could be attached paper or cloth of any desired shade. 

 The camera could be moved backward or forward and secured with a 

 tripod screw. Into this portable cage the bird w^as to be put, and as 

 there was only one perch — usually a stick or small branch of conven- 

 ient shape and size — I fondly imagined that the bird would sit pretty 

 nearly where T wished. But I was doomed to disappointment. When 

 I put the bird in, any place and ever}^ place suited him better than the 

 perch so carefulh' arranged for his special comfort. When a bird, no 

 matter how tame he may be, is placed amid new and unusual surround- 

 ings, he is at first greatly frightened, and therefore quite unmanage- 

 able. It usually requires some time to prove to him that the new cage 

 will not harm him. So I found my cage not altogether a success, but 

 by patience I managed to obtain some very satisfactory photographs. 



THE. SPORT OF PHOTOGRAPHING WILD BIRDS. 



It was not long before I was led to attempt the task of photographing 

 the adult bird in its wild state and in its natural surroundings. It was 

 then I began to appreciate the fascination of the work. Looked at 

 from an}'^ one of several standpoints, the photographing of wild birds 

 will be found equally satisfactoiy. As a sport it should take a high 

 place, for undoubtedly the skill as well as the perseverance and the 

 instinct of the hunter is a necessary requirement, and a successful shot 

 with the camera is far more difficult to obtain than a correspondingly 

 fortunate (on one side only) shot from a gun. Then, too, the accom- 

 lishment of one's desire leaves behind it no disagreeable taste to mar 

 one's pleasure. What true sportsman is there (and I speak neither of 

 pot hunters nor "game hogs") who, hearing the death bleat of a deer, 

 does not at heart wish his shot had miscarried? Then, as a means of 

 really becoming acquainted with birds, the camera is without an equal, 

 for to be even a moderately successful bird photographer, one must 



