xii INTRODUCTION 



Of far more importance than the kind of camera or lens 

 is the question of a blind which will enable one, unseen, to 

 get and stay within range of one 's subject. I frankly con- 

 fess that when writing "Bird Studies with a Camera", I 

 did not appreciate the importance of this matter. If one 

 would study the habits of wild creatures under natural con- 

 ditions, it is absolutely essential that they be unalarmed by 

 your presence. The observer who is content with mental 

 impressions and note-book descriptions, may often find 

 cover whence, with the aid of field-glasses, he can see to 

 advantage without the object of his study being aware of 

 his proximity. But he who besides written descriptions 

 would also record his observations in that more graphic, 

 communicable form of which photography admits, must be 

 much nearer his subject and must have cover from the shel- 

 ter of which he may manipulate his camera without being 

 detected. In short, he must have an artificial blind. It is 

 the first requisite of such a blind that it be easily transport- 

 able ; it should also be inconspicuous and so simple in con- 

 struction that it may be quickly erected. The result of my 

 first attempt (1900) to make a structure which would fill 

 all these requirements, is shown on page 7, in the study of 

 the Blue Jays. It was a ridiculously complicated affair of 

 upriarht sticks and iron hoops, around which was placed 

 a canvas painted in the somewhat distant semblance of 

 bark. Ths affair was supposed to be an imitation tree 

 trunk, and illustrates how far one may be carried on the 

 wrong road by a false premise. The fundamental error in 

 this case was the belief that the blind must be like some 

 object in nature. Asa matter of fact, this is not necessary. 

 It should be as inconspicuous as possible and it is often 

 more quickly accepted if it be partly disguised with bushes 

 or vines. But its chief virtue is its immovability. It may 

 excite suspicion for a time, but its inanimateness finally 

 wins and, to the birds, it becomes a part of the landscape to 

 be perched on if convenient. 



