6 WILD LIFE AND THE CAMERA 



to mar the pleasure. What sportsman is there 

 (and I speak neither of pot hunters nor " game 

 hogs ") who, hearing the death-bleat of a deer, does 

 not at heart wish his shot had miscarried ? Then, 

 as a means of really becoming acquainted with birds, 

 the camera is without an equal, for to be even a 

 moderately successful bird photographer, one must 

 have an intimate knowledge of the subject ; and 

 the camera, in teaching us to know the birds, must 

 of necessity stimulate our affection for these useful 

 and defenceless creatures. As a recorder of facts 

 it is of great scientific value, for it cannot lie, and 

 it records in an unmistakable form every detail 

 presented, whether it be the daily growth of a 

 nestling or the exquisite detail of the bird's nest. 



It is. however, to the keen pleasure that may be 

 derived from this new sport that I would particu- 

 larly call attention. Not only is there the delight 

 in overcoming difficulties (and they will be found 

 both numerous and varied), but there is the pleasure 

 of being placed among surroundings that are 

 inseparable from this pursuit. A rich harvest of 

 interesting facts relating to the bird's home life 

 may be gathered by any observing person who 

 spends much time along the hedge-rows or in the 

 woods. 



He who would hunt birds with the camera will 

 find that without doubt the breeding season is the 

 time best suited to his purpose, for then the 

 feathered housekeepers are restricted in their 

 individual range to a comparatively limited area. 

 Having learned the situation of their house, he 

 may find them at home when he calls, engaged in 



