142 WILD LIFE AND THE CAMERA 



deal with) isochromatic plates were used, together 

 with a ray filter. So it is reasonable to suppose that 

 the relative value of the birds' colouring and that 

 of the leaves is faithfully shown. This and other 

 photographs were taken on three consecutive days, 

 and it is curious to note that in every case the 

 bird had its bill beneath the twigs. This renders 

 her even less conspicuous than she would otherwise 

 have been. Her brilliant dark eye is almost the 

 only thing that betrays her presence, even in the 

 photograph, where she is sharply in focus, while the 

 surroundings are more or less blurred. It has been 

 said that if once a woodcock has been frightened 

 from its nest by a person, it will not again allow of 

 a human being's near approach, but will glide 

 off silently while the intruder is yet many feet 

 away. The bird here portrayed, though frightened 

 (accidentally, of course) from her nest when first 

 discovered, grew more and more tame and con- 

 fiding with each successive visit, and finally allowed 

 the camera to be placed within less than three feet 

 of her. In order to show the position of the eye 

 (which allows the bird to keep a sharp look-out 

 even when its bill is deep in the damp earth, 

 searching for worms) and the peculiar form of the 

 head, the camera was placed about seven inches off 

 the ground on two stones, brought there while the 

 bird was sitting. Further than that, she allowed 

 the writer's hand to come within three inches of 

 her head and remove a twig which would have 

 interfered with the picture. That the reader may 

 fully realise how motionless the bird remained, it 

 is only necessary to say that owing to the fact that 



