THE BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER'S OUTFIT 25 



fill when conditions do not permit one to work in 

 front of the camera. 



A device which might be arranged on the princi- 

 ple of a trap, the trigger to be sprung and exposure 

 made when the bait is taken, would doubtless cap- 

 ture some interesting pictures. An apparatus con- 

 nected with an automatically fired flash-light, has 

 been employed by Mr. G. A. Shiras, of Pittsburg, in 

 photographing deer at night, with phenomenal suc- 

 cess. The connection with the camera shutter was 

 so made that the deer, in walking, touched a cord 

 which exploded the flash-light, and, at the same mo- 

 ment, made the exposure. The light weight of most 

 birds, however, requires a much more delicate appa- 

 ratus, while an even greater difficulty is found in 

 the movement caused by the release of the trigger, 

 which startles the bird just as the exposure is 

 made. 



Thus far in my experiments I have been unable 

 to overcome these objections, but I trust some other 

 bird photographer will be more successful. 



Those who are ambitious in the direction of cliff 

 photography -I would refer to the Keartons' admi- 

 rable treatise on the subject in their Wild Life at 

 Home, for a description of the paraphernalia needed 

 and the manner in which it should be used. My 

 own* experience in this line is limited, and I confess 

 to the utter absence of a desire to increase it ! 



