14 WILD LIFE AT HOME. 



placed our artificial tree-trunk over my brother 

 and his camera or tied it round them when in 

 position, I peg it down with little forked twigs cut 

 from any convenient bush, and retire to a distance 

 to await developments. If my brother requires 

 anything he signals for me, either by a whistle or 

 by thrusting the corner of a white handkerchief 

 out behind him, where the bark of his tree-trunk 

 is laced together. 



It must not for a moment be supposed that 

 any naturalist or photographer cannot utilise this 

 hiding contrivance when by himself. My brother 

 and I have each used ours with perfect ease when 

 alone. 



Slits for the lens or observation may be cut 

 anywhere in the American cloth, because when not 

 in use they close up sufficiently to prevent any- 

 thing from being seen through them, either from 

 the inside or the outside. 



One great merit of this simple and effective 

 contrivance is that it does not cost much to make. 

 The materials which we purchased to make ours 

 from cost us altogether something under twenty 

 shillings. 



Of course, such an arrangement as an artificial 

 tree-trunk, however excellent as an imitation, would 

 hardly do to stick up near, say, a lark's nest in 

 the middle of a bare ten-acre field. 



In recognition of this fact we began to cast 

 about for some object of familiar aspect to ground- 



