86 PHOTOGRAPHY FOR NATURALISTS. 



more drastic measures imperative. A grasshopper was 

 secured, placed gently on the blade of grass in question 

 and photographed. There was no difficulty ; the 

 surroundings were as they should be ; it was merely 

 stalking reversed. 



Neuroptera are of importance from the photo- 

 graphic point of view, for they embrace a common 

 and magnificent object the dragonfly. The colours of 

 these brilliant insects form an excellent test for the 

 value of an isochromatic plate, and, if we except the 

 delicate wing structure, they are not at all difficult 

 objects to secure photographically. The searcher after 

 dragonflies should visit a brook on some bright 

 September day armed with his half-plate camera, with 

 quarter-plate holders in the dark slides. The reason of 

 the latter precaution is that there is no advantage in 

 securing a half-plate's worth of surroundings, when a 

 quarter-plate is sufficient, even for life-size pictures. 

 As has been observed previously, the photographer- 

 naturalist must be possessed of a half-plate camera 

 in order to take photographs of a reasonable size. 

 There is no necessity, however, to expend half-plates 

 where quarters are amply big enough, and for insect 

 photography in this country nothing bigger than a 

 quarter-plate need ever be summoned into service. 



Once the dragonfly is sighted he must be watched. 

 If he be already settled, the camera may be very quietly 

 erected as close to him as possible. The writer has 

 secured several pictures by this simple method. 

 Should, however, the proposed sitter be startled, he 



