148 Pboiography for I be Sportsman Naturalist 



the nest." This may be advantageous at times. 

 I have never used it, as I have never found it 

 necessary ; moreover I am inclined to beUeve 

 tliat it would give false lighting, as the under 

 part of a nest is naturally more shaded than the 

 upper and should so appear in a picture. 



It will be found difficult and often impossible to 

 give as long an exposure with these bush nests as 

 with those built on the ground and, consequently, 

 the lens cannot, generally, be stopped down so 

 far. Therefore greater care must be exercised in 

 the focussing and the use of the swing-back to 

 get all the surroundings in as sharp focus as pos- 

 sible. The slightest breath of air will often sway 

 the supports of the nest sufficiently to spoil all the 

 sharpness of outline, and when there is much of a 

 wind blowing they are seldom entirely still for 

 more than two or three consecutive seconds. It 

 is very annoying, to say the least, to see the nest 

 move just in the middle of an exposure and to 

 realize that the picture is spoiled and we must try 

 it over again. This can sometimes be obviated 

 by means of guy ropes of stout twine fastened in 

 several directions to stationary objects. 



In cases of nests swung at the ends of branches, 

 such as vireos', orioles', etc., if they are not more 

 than ten or twelve feet above the ground, the 

 branch can usually be bent down and fastened in 

 the desired position with twine ; but in doing this 



