THE KINGBIRD 



the top box for it, and without focussing took the long hose and 

 went back to the bell-flower to wait. 



The first time he came he alighted as usual, but noticing that 

 the camera had been shifted he slightly drew back, lifting his 

 wings a trifle. At that instant, thinking he could not possibly 

 appear better and might fly, I made the exposure. He was du- 

 bious, but as no harm had come from the camera previously, he 

 decided none would now, for he studied it an instant longer, then 

 flew to the nest. I was so sure of the exposure I replaced the 

 camera and that night developed the plate, which was so perfect 

 I did not attempt to better it. When I had this study, the old 

 birds, both male and female in every position I could think of, 

 back, front and side, brooding, and in the very act of regurgitat- 

 ing food and emptying the cloaca, I began on the young. 



They were easy. When the feathers were developed enough 

 that the babies would appear well, I began by using a second 

 step-ladder to reach the nest, carrying in my pocket the long 

 hose bulb from the camera on the other ladder. Reproducing 

 them consisted of climbing the small ladder, placing them as I 

 chose and then squeezing the bulb. Three showed nicely on 

 the edge of the nest, the apple taking the space for the fourth, 

 so I set him on the limb beside the nest. When I had made all 

 the exposures I thought I ever should want of the grown and 

 young Kingbirds in the nest, I coveted one more picture of the 

 young the last day before they would take flight. This fell on 

 Sunday, as I figured their history. I was afraid to wait until 

 Monday, for they appeared so large I thought the impulse to 

 flight might come at any time, while my studies of these birds were 

 so perfect I felt I could not miss this crowning one, also I would 

 be forced to make a business trip Monday. I thought and still 

 think I shall be forgiven, for I drove to the orchard Sunday after- 

 noon, set up and focussed a camera on a scraggly dead limb of a 



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