HOME LIFE IN BIRD-LAND. 
By Oniver G. Pixe. 
[The following extracts from “Hillside, Rock and Dale: Bird-Life Pictured with Pen and Camera*” are more 
eloquent tributes to the value and interest of the book than anything that we could say in its fayour. 
For this reason we give them, by permission of the author and the publishers, with no other comment 
than a hearty recommendation to every reader to lose no time in getting the yolume.—Ep. | 
HE patience of a Nature photographer is sorely tried at times. Without the aid 
of electricity it would be almost impossible to photograph many kinds of birds. 
The Troubles Pefore I obtained my pictures of the little grebe, I tried to take them 
of a Bird with a pneumatic attachment to the shutter; but the birds were so 
Photographer. rapid in thew actions that I found them not to show on the plates 
when I developed them—they had dived out of sight while the air wave was 
travelling along the length of tubing. The pictures obtained show the success 
of the electric shutter, which was exposed the instant that I wished, although I 
was many yards away. I had great difficulty in photographing the lapwing; three 
days were occupied in securing a series of eight pictures. My camera was well 
concealed underneath a heap of rubbish, which was previously placed near the nest. 
IT was in hiding behind a hedge over a hundred yards away, and watched the bird 
with my field-glasses. The wire connection being not quite long enough, I had a 
leneth of strimg attached, with which to connect the wires. If it had not been 
for this, I should have progressed well; but somehow some cattle which were grazing 
near insisted upon entangling their feet in this, and thus exposing the plate. Bird 
photographers get used to little trivialities like this. Many plates were wasted, and a 
climax was reached on the third day. First a calf came along and got its feet caught 
in the string, and so exposed the plate. After another hour or so several cows walked 
towards the camera and looked well at it; then one, seemingly more inquisitive, looked 
into the hole which was left for the lens to point through, put her tongue into this 
and licked the glass. When these were driven away a horse became entangled in the 
string and spoilt another plate. About noon six horses trotted gaily up to the camera 
and seemed to hold a short consultation, and then commenced business. One began 
eating the electrical apparatus, others chewed the covering of the camera, and one, 
which I had not noticed, swallowed a length of string, and then, finding some dis- 
comfort, bolted, pulling everything over into confusion. I thus had a rather serious 
affair at one end of my connection, and what might be likened to a very large fish 
at the other. Bird photographers after all are only human, and I could not endure 
all this, so I packed up and left the horses and birds to themselves. 
ee “ ee Sie be eae ao, s eee =| 
DABCHICK SWIMMING WITH BODY SUBMERGED. LITTLE GREBE. 
* Illustrated with 110 photographs taken direct’ from nature by the Author. London: Hutchinson & Co. 1 Vol., 6s. 
