38 



Bird -Lore 



that very soon Mrs. Plover did not so much as change position at 

 the click of the shutter, and when driven away to rearrange the 

 camera between exposures, came quickly back again. In a short 

 time we had exposed all the plates that seemed necessary, and 

 retired from the field conquerors, though leaving the foe in peace- 

 ful possession. Returning to the house for suppHes for a new 

 expedition, a lady member of the party, who, from a shady hammock, 

 had been watching for several hours these rather boyish antics, 

 saluted us with the withering remark, "About four years of age, I 

 should think, instead of forty." But we hoped that the end would 



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KILLDEER, NEST, AND EGGS 



justify the means, and were anxious to inspect the developed results. 

 This part of the work was accomplished a day or two later, and the 

 pictures here presented show, I think, that our efforts were not 

 entirely in vain. Several others were not so good. In one, the female 

 sits quietly on her nest, back to the camera, and in coloration blends 

 admirably with the surroundings. In another, she is crouching in a 

 half uncertain attitude, while in still another she stands erect, re- 

 vealing the four eggs directly beneath her, and with rufifled plumage 

 seems a little resentful of the intrusion. In all, it will be noticed 

 that the bill is partly open, either because it was a very warm day, 

 because the poor bird was startled and ill at ease, or, it may be, 

 because it was no easy matter for this always loquacious bird to keep 

 its mouth shut even when posing for its picture. 



