THE BLUE JAY 



fully I made my way back to the carriage and with my assistant 

 brought up and placed a twelve-foot step-ladder, and mounted it 

 with great caution, making a long wait on each step. The bird 

 sat so securely I decided her eggs had quickened and I climbed 

 down, moved the ladder nearly under her branch, mounted again 

 and cut away grape-vines and small twigs that would be out of 

 focus. That blessed Jay Bird sat there and allowed me to use the 

 clippers on a grape-leaf not four inches from her breast. Then 

 I placed the ladder just right, but it was too low, so I added a 

 mineral-water box and secured it with the hitching strap. Still 

 it was too low, so I emptied my carrying case and set it on the box 

 and then placed the camera on that. Then I focused and made 

 several studies of her. Throughout the whole proceeding, which 

 was not managed with my usual caution toward the last, when she 

 proved so bold, Mother Jay sat, her beak pointed skyward and 



"The baby lifted its head, opened wide its yellow mouth and asked for food" 



