Photographing the Smaller Mammals 127 



the animals and their surroundings are bound to 

 look much more natural under these conditions. 



It can be accomplished, and successfully, if one 

 is willing to use his time and exercise his patience, 

 with either the retiex or the tripod camera. The 

 latter can usually be used to better advantage, 

 however, and the methods followed are much the 

 same as when photographing birds at their nests. 



Nearly all of 

 the smaller 

 mammals are in 

 the habit of us- 

 ing one particu- 

 lar stump or 

 rock as a place 

 of observation 

 from which to 

 survey the land 

 before ventur- 

 ing forth. By 

 carefully watching for several days, this vantage 

 point may generally be discovered. If not then, 

 we may get them into the habit of coming to 

 such a spot by baiting it for several days with 

 something to their liking. This will work most 

 successfully if we select a spot in close prox- 

 imity to their nest. After they have become 

 accustomed to coming to look for the bait, then 

 we can set up our camera, focus it upon the 



Fox Squirrel. 



