172 WEST At^EARANCES Of BIRDS, INSECTS, ETC. 



been present at the decapitation of the tree, 

 decided that the job could not have been better 

 done. 



June 29 After two hours erecting tripod (11 feet 6 inches 

 high), securing camera, focussing and com- 

 pleting tent decorations, E.H.C. got settled 

 with the 210 mm. f 6.8 Georz Dagor, a much 

 overrated lens. 



E.H.C. 



At 9.15 a.m. the light was very changeable and 

 difficult. The five babes are very restless in 

 the nest. They void excrement by pushing 

 their hinder parts to edge of the nest and 

 forcibly expelling the liquid ejecta. This has 

 already limed a tree and the tent 8 feet away 

 from the nest. Now and again one of the 

 nestlings would stand up and shake its tiny 

 wings, which already show quills about 1 inch 

 long, and the tail quills are about f of an inch long. 

 10.30. It started to rain, and the female came 

 to the nest a few minutes later, arriving at 

 the back with food, which she put down for 

 the young. She kept behind a big limb of 

 the tree and did not show her body. She 

 peered through my peephole and I kept per- 

 fectly still and then she quitted. I fancied 

 she saw me through the peephole, but whether 

 she did or not I cannot be certain (I always 

 think they do see me). I had my peepholes 

 cut down as small as possible, .and I seem to 

 work with much smaller peepholes than most 

 pictures of birds' tents that I have seen shew. 

 The female gave no warning of her approach, 

 and never made a sound from first to last. 

 fEYom subsequent observation I have decided 

 that the female did not see me.) 



