54 



NATURE AND THE CAMERA 



tempered and cool can anything be accomplished. 

 Just keep on putting each birdling in place, no mat- 

 ter how often they fall off, and after a while, and it 

 may take a long time, they will lose their obstinacy 

 and behave themselves as young birds should. 



If you find that they insist on flying away, even 

 though they can go but four or five feet, tire them 

 out by forcing them to take a number of such flights 

 in quick succession. They will soon be only too 

 glad to sit quietly. Do not on any account attempt 

 to feed very young birds with worms or other insects 

 or fruits. Leave that to the parents; they know far 

 better than you what suits a fledgeling's stomach. 

 If the day is very hot it is better not to subject the 

 youngsters to the direct rays of the sun for longer 

 than is necessary, as they cannot stand too much heat. 



Now we will consider that all the young ones are 

 sitting quietly on the branch and you have your 

 camera in readiness. The next step is to induce the 

 mother bird to come. For your success in doing 

 this, patience is very necessary, but by far the most 

 important consideration is the bird's disposition. 

 Should she be naturally tame, your troubles will be 

 few; but if after waiting for six hours or so she still 

 refuses to bring food for her young, your trouble 

 will, in all probabiUty, have been in vain, and you 

 will have to search for a new subject. I once spent 

 two entire days trying to coax a chewink to come 



