4 WILD LIFE AND THE CAMERA 



one had photographed the wax model of a friend. 

 The hkeness was there, but the hfe was lacking. 

 And there was another objection : although to the 

 casual observer the specimen may appear well 

 mounted, how rarely is shown the characteristic 

 pose so subtle and dehcate in its infinite variety. 

 But few taxidermists are naturalists, and without 

 endless study of living birds how can anyone expect 

 to know the attitudes assumed by the different 

 species ? The human eye itself is scarcely quick 

 enough to take note of these things, and so it is to 

 the camera that we must turn, and use it as eye, 

 notebook, and pencil. It was the realisation of this 

 fact that led me finally to try the fascinatmg but 

 difficult task of photographing the living bird. 



To begin with, only nestlings were my models, 

 and I was delighted with the results — no glass eyes 

 nor dried-up legs to mar the picture, but expressions 

 as varied as they were beautiful, and positions 

 entirely different from those seen in mounted 

 specimens. These successes led me, of course, 

 to attempt photographing the adult bird, and I 

 made many experiments mth tame birds. It was 

 necessary to have a place arranged so that there 

 might be abundant light ; and to avoid sameness 

 in the arrangement of the hghting, the contrivance 

 must be movable. I made a wooden platform 

 (supported on two light wooden horses) about six 

 feet long, and covered it with mosquito netting 

 stretched on a light framework. The background 

 was of wood, to which could be attached paper or 

 cloth of any desired shade. The camera could be 

 moved backward or forward and secured with a 



