NATURE riCTURES. 509 



have an intiinato knowledge of the .subject; and the camera, in teaching 

 us to know the birds, must of necessity stinuilate our affection for these 

 useful and defenseless creatures. As a recorder of facts it is of great 

 scientific value, for it can not lie, and it records in an unmistakable 

 form every detail presented, whether it be the daily growth of a nest- 

 ling or the exquisite detail of the bird's nest. 



It is, however, to the keen pleasure that may be derived from this 

 new sport that I would particularly call attention. Not only is there 

 the delight in overcoming difficulties (and they will be found both 

 numerous and varied), but there is the pleasure of being placed among 

 surroundings that are inseparable from this pursuit. A rich harvest 

 of interesting facts relating to the birds' home life may be gathered by 

 any observing person who spends much time along the hedge rows or 

 in the woods. 



He who would hunt birds with the camera will rind that without 

 doubt the breeding season is the time best suited to his purpose, for 

 then the feathered housekeepers are restricted in their individual range 

 to a comparatively limited area. Having learned the situation of their 

 house, he ma}^ rind them at home when he calls engaged in attending 

 to their various domestic duties. The rirst thing to do after the intro- 

 duction, i. e., learning their name, is to obtain their confidence, and, 

 with birds as with people, there must be confidence if we wish friend- 

 ship. How easil}' one ma}^ gain this confidence depends quite as much 

 upon the individuality of the bird as upon the species. The fear of 

 man is inherent in all birds, but by judicious management this fear can 

 to some extent be allayed. 



WINNING THE CONFIDENCE OE AVILl) BIRDS. 



A great many instances have come before my notice of the change 

 in a bird's behavior from extreme fear and distrust to a degree of con- 

 fidence which, to the inexperienced, seems almost inconceivable. The 

 power to tame birds or animals is thought to belong peculiarly to cer- 

 tain persons. This may or may not be true, but from my own obser- 

 vations I am inclined to believe that tameness is a quality rather of the 

 natural disposition of the individual, bird, or animal. 



With some birds I have spent days in trying to convince them that 

 I intended no harm, yet they placed not the slightest confidence in me, 

 and would not even feed their young if I were in sight. Others of 

 the same species became accustomed to my presence after less than an 

 hour, showing their confidence by coming to their young while I stood 

 in plain sight, within a few feet of the nest. It is in the difficulty of 

 familiarizing the Ifird with ourselves and the camera that we experi- 

 ence the greatest obstacle to photographing them. 



Of the many delightful birds I have had the good fortune to know, 

 the worm-eating warbler family, whose portraits are shown in the 



