>2 PROTOGMFECY FOR BIRD-LOVERS. 



but undoubtedly it can afford, in the nature of a 

 day's rope work in the mighty cliffs, as strenuous 

 exercise as any in the realm of sport. 



As to the second the satisfaction at the mastery 

 of some wild creature such mastery with gun is 

 no sooner attained than ended, for life is gone 

 and resistance ceases, whereas under the camera's 

 ordnance the mastery may last almost indefinitely. 



And lastly the gratification of curiosity. The 

 gunner, truly, may handle and consider a lifeless 

 stiffening thing (which with a lack of reality may 

 be done in a museum), but to examine at close- 

 quarters the living creature which he stalks is not 

 within his plan ; such, however, is the very 

 essence of bird-photography. 



Thus considered, there is small cause for wonder 

 at the ever-growing popularity of this camera 

 work, especially in a country of such narrow 

 confines as our own where the finer and freer 

 forms of shooting are almost unattainable. 



But it should be remembered that these com- 

 parisons are based on three common factors only ; 

 there are many others peculiar to each, an im- 

 partial consideration of which will demonstrate 

 each sport to be excellent in its own sphere, each 

 doing work the other leaves undone. We do not 

 wish, therefore, to set these two branches of sport 

 in arms against one another, far from it, but rather 



