io6 NATURE AND THE CAMERA 



(holding the bulb of the shutter in the other hand) 

 and make the exposure immediately after releasing 

 the fish, when the hand must, of course, be instantly 

 withdrawn. In this way I have often succeeded in 

 making photographs that I could not otherwise have 

 made. This method, needless to say, requires a very 

 short exposure, as the fish is in motion, whether it 

 sinks rapidly to the bottom or swims. 



The other way is to place a stone on the bottom 

 so that a point of it will be up several inches. Then 

 gradually and slowly move the fish with a stick until 

 it rests on the edge of this stone. When exactly in 

 the right position (the head should be slightly below 

 the level of the tail) make the exposure, which need 

 not be so very short, as the movement of the fish 

 would not, in all probability, be nearly so rapid as when 

 actually swimming or sinking. Only a small part of 

 the stone should come in contact with the fish. An 

 important thing to remember is that the dorsal fin 

 be elevated ; not only is this desirable for the identi- 

 fication of the fish, but it adds greatly to its beauty. 

 With the dorsal fin down the fish lacks the appear- 

 ance of being alive. 



While it is quite possible to keep track of unde- 

 veloped plates so that you know what each one is 

 when developed, I would advise as the safest and 

 easiest method that a white label, bearing the name 

 of the fish in heavy black letters, be placed on the 



