CONCEALMENT. 79 



Dummy Camera. 



Of course, to get birds accustomed to the whole 

 thing, there is nothing quite so good as the gradual 

 approach of the camera in position in the tent, 

 as one moves the latter up, but this means that the 

 instrument will be out of service for a day or two, 

 unless one fixes up a rough imitation or dummy 

 to take its place. An old broken camera quite 

 beyond photographic use may sometimes be 

 purchased for a shilling or two, and is ideal for 

 this purpose, but, failing this, it is easy to manu- 

 facture something having a resemblance to a 

 camera. An empty cigar-box with a round tin 

 lid fastened on one end to suggest the lens, and a 

 few large brass drugget pins to represent the camera 

 screws, is ample enough means to deceive most 

 birds. At one time we represented the bellows 

 by streaks of black paint on the sides and top of 

 the box, and added other little fitments, but ex- 

 perience served to show this to be generally 

 unnecessary. All that is required is an object 

 quite strange to them and bearing some rough 

 resemblance to a camera ; they will then either 

 take the rest for granted or on rare occasions will 

 be minutely critical, and then our best imitation 

 would be unavailing. 



Focussing for the Anticipated Sitter. 



The correct adjustment of the focus is, of course, 

 a most important matter, and is not so simple 



