9 8 PHOTOGRAPHY FOR NATURALISTS. 



cat with a stand camera. His movements were made 

 to accord as closely as possible with those of the cat : 

 when the cat stole forward, he stole forward ; when the 

 cat paused, he paused. The picture was a failure, but 

 the procedure, though apparently ridiculous, was a 

 good lesson. The cat's object was the same as the 

 man's to get within striking distance of its prey 

 unnoticed. For the credit of humanity, it may be 

 remarked that the cat failed as well as the man. A 

 small point which the above experience impressed on 

 the writer was the convenience of rubber shoes for 

 silent progress ; another was the possibility of moving a 

 stand camera bodily without noise, and planting it 

 down without noise in any desired position. Both are 

 well worth the attention of the photographer-naturalist. 

 It may also be noted that to keep the head concealed 

 under the focussing cloth is an advantage rather than 

 otherwise. It is only a very cowed dog that is much 

 influenced by the power of the human eye. The dogs 

 which in some households supply the place of children 

 should be severely left alone. Their environment is 

 altogether abnormal, their appetite depraved, and their 

 points of interest to a naturalist insignificant. 



It is a relief to get away from the kennel or cattery 

 to the farmyard and the fields adjoining. In a grazing 

 -country the photographer need never sit idle for want 

 of models. It may be laid down, as a general principle, 

 that whenever it is possible to photograph animals on 

 their feeding-grounds, this should be done. The rule 

 applies especially to horses, cattle, sheep, and pigs. 



