PHOTOGRAPHING BY ELECTRICITY 255 



Of course a silent shutter must be used, and the 

 electric apparatus must make no noise, otherwise the 

 bird will jump, and it needs an exceedingly rapid 

 exposure to obtain a successful picture of a startled 

 bird. One advantage of the release I use is, that it 

 can all be concealed in a small box and buried under 

 the ground if necessary, or even be hidden elsewhere; 

 but if in the open it does not make enough noise to 

 startle a bird. For taking photographs at night it is 

 better to use a small accumulator, for then the current 

 of electricity is strong enough to open the shutter 

 and also fire the charge of magnesium powder. With 

 my release the instant a bird or other animal touches 

 the food, placed as a bait, the shutter opens and 

 remains so for three seconds. A fraction of a second 

 after the shutter is open the charge of powder is 

 fired, and there is no fear of the plate being " fogged" 

 by other light, for the lens is quickly covered again 

 after the exposure. By using silk in the way men- 

 tioned, there is nothing to scare even the most timid 

 animal. This is far better than having a small board 

 or other visible thing, which must have the effect of 

 scaring the wary prowlers of the night from their 

 track. 



There is something exceedingly interesting in thus 

 getting our wild animals to photograph themselves, 

 while the time saved by the Nature photographer 

 is worth consideration. It is well to use a rapid 



