60 



THE OOLOGIST. 



a focus camera, good results are almost 

 certain to follow. No hard and fast 

 rules can be given as to timing photo- 

 graphs, there being many factors nec- 

 essary for consideration in each sub- 

 ject. I prefer a time view wherever 

 possible, even in the sunlight, when 

 with a moderate stop and quick expos- 

 ure the reuslts seem superior^ to an in- 

 stantaneous view. A small stop and 

 long exposure will give great detail, 

 but a moderate stop and quicker ex- 

 posure produces a greater contrast of 

 light and shade. 



Mr. Woodhouse recommends that 

 you "'never get nearer than eight feet 

 from the object to be photographed." 

 By using a focus camera and proper 

 stops a nest can be perfectly photo- 

 graphed at a much less distance, and 

 without any part of the picture being 

 out of focus. There are many subjects 

 which we meet in the field which re- 

 quire unusual ti'eatment to secure and 

 many of the rules usually followed 

 must be disregarded if the object is to 

 be photographed. This summer while 

 in the mountains I found a nest of the 

 Hermit Warbler 45 feet ap in a pine 

 tree, which I wished vei-y much to re- 

 cord in situ. The nest was on a hori- 

 zontal limb, resting on the pine needles 

 not over five feet from the top of the 

 ti'ee. There was no opportunity to use 

 a tripod or stand for the camera so I 

 was obliged to straddle a small limb, 

 hold on to the trunk of the tree and 

 hold the camera lightly against the tree 

 until the proper focus was gained. 

 Then, owiug to the sun shining indi- 

 rectly ou the nest, it was necessary to 

 make a quick time exposure. The nest 

 was not over four feet form the camera 

 and is almost in perfect focus, as are 

 also the limbs about it. I made four 

 negatives of the nest, one instantaneous 

 one being undertimed in the shade and 

 the others slightly blurred by the vi- 

 bration of the limb. But the one per- 

 fect negative is a pleasing reward for 



all my trouble. Nests and birds taken 

 at four and five feet distant almost al- 

 ways come out well if properly focused 

 and a suitable stop used. 



I also use occasionally an"extension" 

 which fits into the 'camera in place of 

 the front board, the latter fitting into 

 the front end of the extension, and 

 thus giving about six inches greater 

 focus and making small nests and ob- 

 jects almost natural size. Small nests 

 may be photographed at a distance of 

 fi'om one to two feet but should be giv- 

 en a longer exposure than is necessary 

 wifh the camera proper, and the small- 

 est stop should be used which will usu- 

 ally cut a sharp picture. 



I use Stanley "50" plates, which give 

 excellent results and are rapid. The 

 matter of finishing the pictures rests 

 with the individual and his taste; per- 

 sonally I ijrefer the Aristo gelatine fin- 

 ish, and dry my prints on ferrotype tin, 

 which imparts' a ; high polish. Finally 

 the worker who expects Interesting re- 

 sults must prepare for and endure 

 often considerable trouble before his 

 object is attained, but the greater the 

 work necessary to secure a good photo- 

 graph, the more will it afterwards be 

 appreciated. C. Barlow. 



Santa Clara, Calif. 



A Collecting' Trip in the Thousand 

 Islands. 



There are many quarters in America 

 known as the "Thousand Islands," and 

 in every case they are interesting to ob- 

 servers and tourists. I have had the 

 pleasure of winding about, and in and 

 out among the islands of several of these 

 picturesque groups, from a steamer 

 trip through the celebrated group in 

 the beautiful St. Lawrence river to a. 

 canoe cruise among the mangrove-lined 

 edges of the low isles in Florida. 



One April not long since two other 

 collectors and myself were rusticating^ 

 at a small hotel at the southern part of 



