PREFACE 



xi 



birds, this offers great advantages over ordinary 

 cameras. Mr. R. B. Lodge, of Enfield, was the 

 first to use a camera of this description, fitted 

 with a tele-photo lens. To any one wishing to 

 follow the new sport, as birds-nesting with a camera 

 has been called, a gun-camera is a very useful 

 acquisition, while it offers all the excitement of 

 stalking a bird with a gun ; the difference being 

 that one's powers* of woodcraft are taxed to the 

 utmost, as a bird has to be approached much 

 nearer than would be the case with an ordinary 

 gun. The advantage of being able to focus the 

 bird while the plate is in position, is of immense 

 value in this kind of photography, and by using 

 a tele-photo, or long focus lens some very good 

 pictures of birds can be obtained. There are 

 several makes of this class of camera in the 

 market, and a reference to any of the catalogues 

 of the chief photographic dealers should give 

 information about them. The camera can easily 

 be fitted to a gun-stock by any one with a little 

 ingenuity. 



I take this opportunity of thanking those 

 gentlemen who have kindly allowed me to ramble 

 over their lands in search of nests. I have also 

 been especially indebted to two friends, Messrs. 

 P. J. Hanson and W. Woodward, for very valuable 



