112 



Bird - Lore 



occasion the female was on the nest in each case, while, at the second visit 

 the male was on nest number three. 



On the afternoon of the 27th, I set up the camera on a tripod the legs 

 of which had been spliced with extra pieces to elevate it, and, with a bicycle 

 pump and one hundred feet of tubing, awaited an opportunity to make an 

 exposure. Late in the afternoon, when the light was becoming very unsat- 

 isfactory, the male went on the nest. I made an exposure, but develop- 

 ment proved that the bird had moved and spoiled the picture. On this 

 date I found the other nest was empty and abandoned, I suppose robbed. 



MALE ROSF.-BREASTEI) GROSBEAK ON NEST 



This latter nest was built in a little elm, about seven feet from the ground, 

 and in plain sight of a public road. 



On the 31st, nest number three contained four eggs ; the female was on 

 when I arrived, but promptly got off. I set up my apparatus, and at the 

 end of the tube I wrapped myself up in the photographic tent and lay down 

 among the bushes, where I could take an occasional peep at proceedings, 

 through the opening at the top of the tent, closing this during the interim 

 to exclude the too friendly attentions of the myriad of mosquitos. It took 

 some time to establish the confidence of the male Grosbeak (the female 

 reti-- ^d altogether), but at last he settled on the nest and, giving him time 

 to get comfortably ensconced, I made a half -minute exposure. The second 

 exposure was obtained under even greater difficulties, but eventually I gave 



