126 



KNOWLEDGE. 



[May 1, 1897. 



but two feet in length, bnt which will, under such con- 

 ditions, give an image of the same size as if he were using 

 a lens of one hundred inches focal length. In all previous 

 attempts in this direction it has been the custom to get 

 a primary image and then to magnify it, but in the case 

 before us the primary and greatly enlarged image is itself 

 projected on the focussing screen." ' The following may 

 also be of interest to ornithologists : " We have seen the 



instrument, and 

 specimens of work 

 done by it, one 

 being an instan- 

 taneous picture of 

 a crow about to 

 settle on the top of 

 a tree one hundred 

 yards distant, the 

 bird measuring on 

 the picture three- 

 quarters of an 

 inch from tip to 

 tip of his outspread 

 wings." t 



The botanist can 

 also find many uses 

 for photography, if 

 carried out syste- 

 matically. J The 

 entomologist also 

 finds it a useful 

 handmaid ; it can 

 also be of in- 

 valuable assistance 

 to anthropolo- 

 gists. 5 Then, 

 again, there are so 

 many trades and 

 crafts that can be 

 traced through, 

 from the primitive 

 state of the 

 material used to 

 the finished article. To give an instance : why not take 

 iron, and work it through with a careful series of prints, 

 from " the ore to the horseshoe " '.' 



It is to be regretted that more amateurs do not take up 

 photomicrography. What unknown worlds the microscope 

 has opened up to science of all sorts ! Doctors, bacteri- 

 ologists, and many others would be hand-tied without it, 

 and in numbers of cases I believe photomicrographs to be 

 moresatisfactoryandcertainlyquickerthan drawings. " The 

 potential value of photography in this line has always been 

 admitted and often dwelt upon ; but difficulties, some real, 

 some exaggerated, some imaginary, have always been cited 

 as fatal to the employment of photography for the delinea- 

 tion by a graphic method of microscopic images." [ Photo- 



* " A New Lens," in the Photogmphic A'ews of October 16th, 1891 



+ " On Photographing Distant Objects," in the Optician of October 

 loth, 1891. 



J See "A Visit to Kew Ghirdens," by J. H. Baldoct, F.C.S., in the 

 Sritish Journal of Photography AhnanacTc for 1897. 



§ See " Ethnographic Photography," by M. V. Portman, in the 

 British Journal of Photography Almanack for 18S6; also "Photo- 

 graphy for Anthropologists," by M. Y. Portman, in the Journal of the 

 Anthropological Institute for August, 1896 ; and " Photography in 

 Anthropological Work," by Prof. Fred Starr, in the American Annual 

 of Photography for 1893. 



II "Practical Photomicrography," by Andrew Pringle, F.R.M.S., 

 1890. Those interested in this branch should also see Van Heurck's 

 work, " The Microscope "; and the " Outlines of Photomicrography," 

 by Andrew Pi'ingle, in the Photogram. 



^^i^S^^-*' 



Marabou Stork in the Zoological Gardens. 



From a Photograph by Mr. T. A. Gebald 



Steicklajtd. 



micrography brings us to surgery, where a large field is 

 open for photography. " In the surgical rooms of our large 

 hospitals and infirmaries photography is rendering invaluable 

 aid in the proper treatment of medical operations. For 

 upwards of a quarter of a century photographic records of 

 deformities, dislocations, tumours, and operations have 

 been systematically produced, which have had the merit 

 of demonstrating the advantage or disadvantage of different 

 methods of treatment, the raison d'i'tre of certain modes of 

 procedure, and the chronicling of mistakes and successes 

 that have served as guide or warning in future cases." * 

 " Radiography " I will not touch upon, for, in the words 

 of Captain Abney (annual address at the Eoyal Photo- 

 graphic Society, 1896) : " I am purposely excluding photo- 

 graphy by the X rays as being anything belonging to 

 an advance in photography. It is not a new photography, 

 but the old kind, and its claim to novelty belongs more 

 to electrical than to photograjphic science." At all events 

 it is not " pure ' photography, as no camera or lens is 

 required. By " pure photography " I mean the work 

 that can be achieved by the apparatus likely to be in the 

 possession of the ordinary amateur. 



Now, supposing that the photographer is not scientifically 

 inclined, there is still architecture, character studies, and 

 photographic survey t to be worked up as a useful aim. I 

 would suggest a series of Norman doorways or Norman 

 windows — also porches, cloisters, or crypts. But anyone 

 taking up this branch should not fail to read the 

 Rev. T.Perkins' "Chapters on Gothic Architecture," in 

 Amateur Photofiraph;/ for 1894-5. Then a series of plioto- 

 graphs of the houses of eminent persons might be made. 

 They will become of great interest presently, as the houses 

 are being swept away by the ruthless hand of the " im- 

 prover," one by one. The illustration of scientific works, 

 or even novels, such as Mr. Symonds' " Malvern Chase " 

 or Kingsley's " Westward Ho I ' would give an object for 

 the usual tour. 



For printing natural history subjects or photomicrograpLs 

 I know nothing better than carbon or gelatino-chloride 

 paper. The latter should be sqiii'iyet'd on to ferrotype 

 plates to give it a gloss that brings out the detail, which is 

 what we want for this sort of thing. With regard to the 

 illustrations of the Indian zebus and the Marabou stork, I 

 should like to say that I am indebted to an article in 

 the Amateur Phototjniplie.)- for the idea of giving them the 

 appearance of standing on a slab of stone. To block out 

 the whole background of the negative, if it is unsuitable, is 

 an advantage. 



The blocking-out medium I use is simply sepia (moist 

 water colour) thinned to the consistency of cream with 

 ordinary black writing ink, and carefully applied to the 

 negative with a camel's-liair pencil. 



These little details are of importance to the earnest 

 worker, for " there is nothiu'j insignificant — nothimj." Look 

 at photography as a means to an end, not as the end 

 itself Work systematically, have an aim, and keep your 

 failures. You will fiad them of use to refer to. A failure 

 is often of more value than many text-books. Photo- 

 graphers should find out what they really have a turn for, 

 and specialize that, for they must remember, "Nothing is 

 really well done which it costs you pain to do." 



* " Photography as an Aid to Study," by Richard Penlake, in the 

 British Journal of Photography for 1896; see also "Photographing 

 Surgical Specimens," by A. S. Murray, in the American Annual of 

 Photography for 1893. 



+ See "A Plea for a Survey of Life and Character," by Hall 

 Edwards, L.R.O. P., in the Briiith Journal of Photography Almanack 

 for 1896. 



