PHOTOGRAPHING NESTS AND EGGS 23 



and it is absolutely uninteresting, at any rate from a 

 pictorial p'oint of view. Another thing to be borne 

 in mind is the arranging of the surroundings. It is 

 frequently necessary to remove some of the small 

 branches and leaves that the nest may be seen to bet- 

 ter advantage. In doing this the greatest care must 

 be observed. The cutting away of much of the sur- 

 rounding vegetation would leave the nest unprotected. 

 It is therefore advisable to resort to tying back the 

 branches that form the principal obstruction, cutting 

 away only the smaller twigs or leaves. Don't break 

 these twigs, for in doing so you are very apt to shake 

 the nest, and perhaps loosen it from its support. 

 Cutters, such as those used in pruning trees, are best 

 adapted to this use. If a twig has to be cut, darken 

 the white end with some wet earth that it may not 

 show in the photograph, or, better still, arrange a leaf 

 in such a way that the cut-off end may be hidden. 

 Almost every variety of nest requires some special 

 method of treatment, so it will perhaps be best to 

 commence with the ground nests and work up 

 through the most important types. 



Ground Nests. — A typical ground nest of the simple 

 form is the woodcock's. Placed, as it usually is, in 

 fairly open wood or swampy land, it offers an easy 

 mark for the photographer. The first thing to do 

 after finding this or any other kind of nest is to 



