PHOTOGRAPHING WILD LIFE 453 



Later I have written much on the subject for 

 many magazines and a few books and always my 

 heart grows warmer toward the beautiful children 

 of the wild as I remember the confidence they 

 have shown in response to a little friendliness of 

 mine. 



There was the great eagle that swooped down 

 from the distant crag at my call, the little tern 

 that left her flock to perch on my finger, the 

 manjr birds that fed from my hand, the mink 

 that came fearlessly to my feet, and the wild 

 rabbit that took the crumbs as I dropped them 

 from my breakfast in camp. I like to forget 

 the brutal bags of game I made in the long ago, 

 but the thought of each camera shot brings 

 pleasure. The life history of birds and animals 

 as pictured by the camera contrast curiously with 

 the game bag product of the fowling piece and 

 the bloody trophies of the rifle. One represents 

 conservation and construction, the other destruc- 

 tion alone. I look upon my own little efforts 

 with the camera as belonging to the twentieth 

 century, and upon those days of slaughter of bird 



