50 Wild Birds 



become accustomed to the tent, but soon paid little heed to 

 anything about it, and one could photograph them at will, 

 focusing directly upon the brooding or standing bird. After I 

 had entered the tent, they would be at the nest in five minutes 



Fig. 36. Kingbirds rending an unruly dragon-fly. The female, who stands in 

 front, was brooding when the prey was brought by the male. 



or even less time, and the young were often fed at half-minute 

 intervals. Occasionally both birds were at the nest together, 

 but this seldom happened unless the female was brooding. 



On the second day the male came to the nesting branch in 

 twelve minutes after the tent was in position, and the panoramic 

 scenes of life at this nest went on without disturbance for the 

 rest of that day. The birds were before your eye, literally at 



