208 HOW TO STUDY BIRDS 



and letting the birds feed along past me. Herons 

 feed on the margin, and can sometimes be closely 

 approached under cover, as can wild ducks. In these 

 cases the shutter should be prepared for a rapid ex- 

 posure, in case the subjects should take to wing. The 

 single lens may be used if the subjects are to be on or 

 over the water. Unfortunately all curtain shutters 

 are rather noisy, and the first shot is liable to frighten 

 away the game. Sometimes, though, especially if the 

 wind is blowing or waves are breaking, birds do not 

 notice the sound of the curtain, and in this way I have 

 secured shot after shot at shore-birds. 



On certain off-shore fishing-grounds very exciting 

 sport may be had at times by baiting up the sea-birds 

 around a sail or power-boat and photographing them. 

 The best accessible places that I know of are about 

 five miles southeast of Chatham, Massachusetts, and 

 about the same distance off Cape Sable, Nova Scotia. 

 If one should be on a fishing schooner on the Georges 

 or Newfoundland Banks it would be even better. 

 Various ocean birds such as petrels, shearwaters, and 

 jaegers are often flying about searching for food. 

 One should be provided with fish-livers, which can 

 be crumbled and dropped astern, with the boat under 

 slow headway. The birds soon follow up the greasy 

 trail, and there will be splendid sport and probably 

 results worth while. 



One must not be discouraged if fog, wind, rough 

 sea, or the drawing of the birds elsewhere after 

 schools of fish render many days' efforts unavailing. 



