Photographing Fish 217 



water. Therefore, we must have the water in 

 which we place him as near the temperature of 

 the water from which he was taken as possible ; 

 also this must be constantly changed in order 

 that it may be always fresh. Above all, never 

 try to place salt-water fish in fresh water, or fresh- 

 water fish in salt water. 



It may easily be seen from the amount of prep- 

 aration necessary that the photography of fish 

 is not accomplished without much tedious work 

 and trouble. This is more or less true of all 

 the branches of nature work, but perhaps more so 

 in this than in any other. It is work that requires 

 the utmost patience and care, for it must not be 

 done hurriedly, and we cannot afford to overlook 

 any of the smaller details. 



I wish to warn the beginner before he starts 

 that the preparation of the aquarium and the 

 accessories to be placed in it is by far the 

 easiest part. When he has finished all this, his 

 troubles are but beginning, for in the catching 

 and handling of his subjects and the final pho- 

 tographing lie the principal difficulties. 



In catching the fish, first of all, a hook and line 

 should never be used when it is possible to take 

 them in any other way, for, especially with the 

 smaller fish, the hook is not only apt to tear the 

 gills, but will often injure the fish to such an 

 extent as to cause it to quickly die. As soon 



