CHAPTER VI. 



INSECTS AND OTHER SMALL DEER. 



ONE of the most interesting branches of natural 

 history photography is that devoted to insects. It 

 does not demand any great physical strain or 

 undue nerve tension, and with a little patience and 

 skill can be made to yield exceedingly pleasing 

 results. 



Although butterflies are lively, airy subjects, they 

 may, under suitable conditions, and with a certain 

 amount of care, be approached and photographed 

 at close quarters. 



One afternoon, during the early part of last 

 April, whilst reconnoitring the breeding haunt of a 

 particular pair of birds, the nest of which we were 

 very desirous of finding, we suddenly fell in with 

 a number of small tortoiseshell butterflies that had 

 no doubt hibernated during the mild winter in 

 some old tumble-down sheds close by. My brother 

 approached one of them with his camera, but the 

 sun being out it was of no use, for the insect flitted 

 from place to place in the most fickle fashion. By- 

 and-by a cloud came over the sun, and the butter- 

 flies, of which we had quite half a dozen within a 



