BIRDS WITH A HANDICAP 



only the nest, but the bird upon it as well. This was a 

 decade ago, when I was just beginning to photograph 

 wild birds, and I did not utilize the opportunity as fully 

 as I should have done later. However, I set up the 

 camera upon the tripod, very close to the nest, and, 

 attaching the thread to the shutter, sat down under the 

 next tree to await my opportunity. The hummer 

 returned to the nest at once, paying no heed to the 

 instrument. Unfortunately the foliage obscured the 

 light, and at that time I was under the false impression 

 that a slow plate would give the best results, with most 

 detail, in this sort of work. This necessitated a timed 

 exposure, and the bird was almost sure to turn her 

 head when the shutter opened. Thus I accumulated a 

 series of pictures of a double-headed hummer, a species 

 which is not recognized by scientists. One negative, 

 from a snapshot, was sharp but very faint. Yet there 

 is hope even thus of a valuable exposure, if only there 

 be detail, however weak. The best thing to do is to 

 print or enlarge on the most contrasty grade of glossy 

 lamplight paper, which will give a strong, plucky print. 

 If it is too black, reduce it to the proper degree with red 

 prussiate of potassium reducer, as one would a plate, 

 giving local reduction where it is needed. Then photo- 

 graph the print in a way not to show the grain of the 

 paper, and the resulting negative, as compared with the 

 original, will prove a surprise and a delight. A rare 

 and valuable picture is well worth this trouble, and I 

 have saved many undertimed snapshots in this way. 



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