u6 



Bird- Lore 



without disturbing the bird, which was asleep part of the time. Then we 

 changed our position for a different view. To gain this a brier, which 

 grew within twelve inches of the triangle, was cut away. Our next 

 picture was to be of the eggs, so I undertook to frighten the bird off 

 and moved my hand up gently toward it as it sat with wide-open eyes 

 and quivering throat. It walked off with outspread wings when my 

 fingers were about to touch it and sat down just outside its triangular 

 home. Next I went round to the opposite side and put down my hand 

 to make it spread its wings for a snap-shot. It now had three men and 



NIGHTHAWK SITTING 



a camera within a few feet of it and did not seem daunted, but with 

 ruffled feathers, open mouth, spread wings and tail, backed hissing 

 over the edge of the triangle. 



We had worked for an hour or more and had taken five time- 

 exposures and one snap-shot, yet we left the bird at home when we went 

 away. " What a devoted mother!" you say, but it was really the father, 

 whose habit it is to sleep on the nest after his night's outing. Mean- 

 time the mother was flying about for insects or resting on a branch 

 near by. She took her place on the eggs at night and watched, I sup- 

 pose, during the absence of her husband until dawn. At any rate, I have 

 seen her there at seven at night and at half past three in the morning, 



