i8o WILD WINGS 



from the eggs, or try to crawl back farther among the 

 rocks, but we can probably catch her and replace her. A long 

 timed exposure is necessary, so the camera is set upon the 



BLACK GUILLEMOT OVER HER EGGS 



tripod and focused on the bird. The greatest difficulty is 

 that she is apt to turn her head at the critical moment. One 

 may spoil a plate or two, but a few exposures of from five to 

 ten seconds will probably give some good negatives. Look 

 out for accidents : a rock may suddenly slide and roll ; the 

 camera may slip and fall on its face on rocks that are not 

 soft ; the bird may make a sudden exit, and the photographer 

 must be ever ready to seize her, without wrecking his appara- 

 tus. Once my anastigmat lens, pointed nearly straight down, 



