8 WILD LIFE AT HOME. 



and their welfare, saw the curious-looking camera 

 being focussed, he thought it was some new kind 

 of machine-gun being sighted, and ran over to my 

 brother and said: 



" For God's sake, don't shoot the poor birds, 

 Mister We likes to see 'em a-tryin' to breed 

 "ere." 



Photographing birds on their natural roosts in 

 field-hedges in the winter time, spiders weaving 

 their webs and moths on the feed during summer 

 nights, is an extremely diverting pastime, to say 

 nothing of the valuable pictures to be secured. 

 The only accessories required to indulge in it are 

 a good bull's-eye lantern by the light of which to 

 focus, and a flash-lamp to procure an exposure. 

 We have found a little metal French flash-lamp 

 very convenient. The magnesium powder is put 

 in beneath, and when charged and ready for use, 

 a few drops of methylated spirits are poured into 

 the indented part round the two projecting orifices 

 at the top, and lighted. It is necessary to see 

 that these two orifices are perfectly clear, so as to 

 allow a good strong geyser-like rush of powder 

 through each, and that the spirits when lighted 

 by a match make a flame large enough to fire it. 

 There is nothing so annoying as an ineffectual 

 flash, because in the case of birds it sometimes 

 frightens them away. The powder should be burnt 

 just over the lens, but in no case in front of it, or 

 disappointment will follow. We sometimes use 



