224 HOW TO STUDY BIRDS 



I prefer, however, to give each plate individual at- 

 tention. To this end I use two 8xio trays, each of 

 which will hold four 4x5 plates, or two 5x7, and keep 

 both going at once. I have a tank of fixing-bath, 

 and keep the work up for hours at a time, using 

 metol-hydro developer, fresh and at maximum 

 strength for all rapid exposures, and a batch that is 

 old and discolored for the plates with timed expo- 

 sures. Should one of these by mistake get into the 

 strong developer, and the image quickly appear, take 

 it out immediately, rinse it thoroughly, and put it in 

 the other solution. Even then it may blacken badly, 

 but keep it in till it is developed clear through, and, 

 if it is too dense, reduce it by the red prussiate of 

 potash and hypo reducer. 



On an expedition to any remote and interesting lo- 

 cality it is a great mistake to be too economical in the 

 taking of pictures. Do not " snapshot " everything 

 at random, but make every exposure carefully and 

 with a purpose. Any good bird-subject needs not 

 one but several plates. Some should be duplicates, 

 to make sure of at least one good picture, but also 

 have represented as great a variety of poses of the 

 bird as possible. This is notably true regarding 

 flight pictures. Hardly any two of these are alike, 

 and often I have wished with all my heart that I had 

 taken more, after it was too late. Do not confine 

 the pictures to birds, even though the expedition be 

 one for ornithology, but take also a series to repre- 



