The Camera as an Aid in the Study of Birds 7 



reaching as to bring home as trophies hfeless bodies and despoiled 

 liabitations, to be stowed away in cabinets where dust and insects 

 and faiHng interest soon put an end to their usefulness. It is not 

 intended, of course, to reflect in any way upon the establishment of 

 orderly and well-directed collections, for such are absolutely neces- 

 sary to the very existence of the science of ornithology. To such 

 collections the great body of amateur bird students should turn 



CHIiKADKK AT NKSr-H 



II lOR VOfNG 



for the close exammations necessary to familiarize themselves with 

 the principles of classification and the distinctions between closely 

 related species. Indeed, it is impossible for anyone to be intelli- 

 gently informed as to the many varieties of birds, and their wonder- 

 ful seasonal changes of plumage, without having actually handled 

 specimens. 



The growth of avian photography has been of short duration, — 

 only a few years in this country and not much longer in England, 

 where it seems to have had its inception. But there are already 

 one or two good books dealing with the subject ; and a goodly num- 

 ber of ornithological works of recent date, and especially the pages 

 of the journal literature of the day, bear excellent testimon}- to the 



