PHOTOGRAPHING NESTS AND EGGS 43 



exposure. I have given as much as sixty seconds, but 

 of course this was an exceptional case, and indeed such 

 an exposure is very seldom needed. Should the bird 

 be restless, moving her head all the time (they usually 

 follow your every motion with their eyes), you may 

 attract her attention as you are about to make the 

 exposure by holding something conspicuous, such as 

 a handkerchief, in one position, and nine times out of 

 ten she will watch it intently for several seconds, thus 

 affording the desired opportunity. 



As birds vary so greatly in their manner of mani- 

 festing fear or distrust of man, each one may be said 

 to be a separate study and calls for a special method 

 of treatment. Some will allow a person to come 

 to within two or three feet of the nest without leaving, 

 and yet will not remain if the camera is anywhere 

 near them. Others show no fear of the camera, but 

 distrust the man; while others again, and these are 

 the kind we want, allow both man and camera to 

 come within a very short distance. Sometimes it is 

 necessary to place the camera in readiness while the 

 bird is absent and wait at a distance for her return, 

 and even then the exposure may have to be made 

 with the aid of a long rubber tube. An extreme 

 case of this kind I experienced when once I tried to 

 photograph a Wilson's thrush on her nest. After 

 trying various methods without success I placed the 

 camera about ten feet from the nest and partly con- 



