COXCLUSIOX. 123 



that, in this method of illustration the possibilities are 

 unlimited, that failures are due more to one's self than 

 to one's apparatus, and that they should be regarded 

 as a warning to avoid contingencies which had other- 

 wise appeared to be insignificant. 



The branch of our subject which deals with 

 methods of securing sitters has been lightly touched 

 on in Chapters IV. and VI. There are, however, many 

 more photographers than naturalists, so that a few 

 further hints to those photographers who love the life 

 of the fields but have not had the advantage of a 

 country training may be acceptable. Most of the 

 British mammalia are to be met with within twenty 

 miles of London. The writer has within these limits 

 seen living in the wild state, or recently killed, the 

 whole of the mammalia mentioned in Chapter III., 

 and nine out of the thirteen reptiles mentioned in 

 Chapter IV. There is evidently then no dearth of 

 material at hand, even for the Londoner. The 

 necessity for silent movement in those who desire to 

 see the life of the fields they walk across has already 

 been noticed. There is an equally real advantage to 

 be derived from the wearing of dull coloured clothes, 

 and the power of remaining motionless. These points 

 being borne in mind, there remains to be considered 

 the question of a likely locality for a particular species. 

 Undoubtedly the best place in which to seek information 

 is the taproom in the neighbourhood of preserves, or large 

 landed estates. In the course of an evening a fund of 

 information will be forthcoming, if the conversation is 



