206 HOW TO STUDY BIRDS 



the single lens may be used, with a curtain-opening o 

 about an inch and with only a slight tension of the 

 curtain-spring. This is about the right speed for a 

 landscape picture, with the doublet, especially if there 

 be green grass or foliage. 



The above will serve as a suggestion for those 

 who are beginning to hunt with the reflecting camera, 

 but it is best, as soon as possible, to become thor- 

 oughly familiar by experience with one's own instru- 

 ment. The tension of the spring will vary, tending 

 to grow weaker as time elapses, and the speed of 

 lenses is different. When one has learned by ex- 

 perience what his own camera under differing condi- 

 tions will do, he will seldom make a mistake and will 

 secure a high percentage of successful exposures. 



The first thing that one will probably try to do 

 with the reflecting camera is to attempt to walk up 

 to birds and snap them before they fly. Even with 

 a large single lens most birds will not wait for one 

 to approach near enough to secure an appreciably 

 large image. Yet there will be opportunities. Birds 

 near their nests will sometimes boldly berate the in- 

 truder and give him some good shots. The king- 

 bird is usually a good subject in this way, and so at 

 times are the robin, catbird, brown thrasher, blue jay, 

 and others. Yet individuals vary in disposition, and 

 of the same species some will be shy, others bold. 



During the spring and summer especially, if one 

 will wander around with the reflecting camera ready, 

 various opportunities present themselves. A robin 



