HOW BIRDS CAN TAKE THEIR OWN PORTRAITS 



103 



bait the flash will illuminate the sur- 

 roundings while the sensitive plate re- 

 cords the scene. 



Then, when the blazing camp-fire ac- 

 centuates the darkness of the night, the 

 sportsman, lying within the narrow circle 

 of its warmth, may suddenly see a daz- 

 zling column of light ascend on a distant 

 hillside, or illuminating with a momen- 

 tary flutter the gloomy valley of some 

 water-course ; and in a few seconds the 

 deep, dull boom of the exploding powder 

 suggests an animal fleeing in needless 

 terror from a spot where the weapon 

 contained no bullet and where its re- 

 corded visit will prove a source of pleas- 

 ure to one who meant it no bodily harm. 

 As I usually explode a compound of 

 magnesium powder in a hermetically 

 sealed box — to insure higher speed and 

 the exclusion of moisture — I have some- 

 times heard the report at a distance of 

 three miles and noticed the flash at a 

 much further distance. 



There'ore one can imagine the sur- 

 prise and terror of some timid animal 

 when experiencing the first dazzling ex- 

 plosion. Yet, as will be shown later, the 

 pangs of hunger or the cravings for some 

 particularly choice food will lead many 

 of these animals to return to the inter- 

 rupted feast, and in the course of time 

 the blinding light and roar seem to be 

 regarded as a harmless manifestation of 

 nature, like thunder or lightning. And 

 then one ma}', if he desires, get a series 

 of interesting night pictures, in every at- 

 titude and action. An example of this 

 was shown by an article in this magazine 

 several years ago, illustrating the nightly 

 visits of the same coon to bait placed at 

 the edge of a little lake.* 



In taking a picture from a canoe bv 

 flashliglit one must be able to judge short 

 distances accurately in order to have the 

 animal in proper focus. In a dififerent 

 way, but for the same reason, it is equally 

 important that automatically taken pic- 

 tures should come within the focus for 

 which the camera was set in advance. 

 With the bait placed at a given distance, 



* See "A Flashlight Story of an Albino 

 Porcupine and of a Cunning but Unfortunate 

 Coon," National Geographic Magazine, June, 

 ion. 



little trouble arises, but when the animal 

 sought is a deer or a moose coming to 

 the water or feeding grounds, the prob- 

 lem becomes more difficult, because the 

 interce]3ting string must be touched at 

 the point where the animal will l)e in 

 sharp focus. 



Whenever animals are traveling on a 

 well-defined runwav, a string running to 

 a stake on the opposite side will insure a 

 good picture, because tlie camera can be 

 previously focused on the runway ; but 

 if such animals are to be photographed 

 when wandering along the shores of a 

 pond or traveling in a creek bottom, it 

 is important that natural conditions be 

 taken advantage of, so that the animal 

 will be forced to pass at a fixed distance 

 from the camera, as will ])e the case 

 where the shore is narrowed b\' drift- 

 wood, rocks, or mud-holes. 



Quite often tem|)orarily erected ob- 

 structions will accom])lish the same pur- 

 pose, provided no scent is left and the 

 material used is in harmon\' with the 

 surroundings. Otherwise, in order to 

 avoid having the camera S|)rung at a 

 point where it is not in focus, the string 

 can be run along the ground and then 

 raised a foot or two high by forked sticks 

 at the spot where the animal is most 

 likely to pass. 



Usually I have encamped near enough 

 to hear the report of the flashlight em- 

 ployed, but sometimes the camera may 

 be set many miles away, or perhaps I am 

 in town or on a side trip, in which case 

 it has not been unusual for the camera to 

 remain unvisited for a week or ten days. 

 But this is of little consequence ; for, 

 with the shutter opening and closing 

 automatically, the exposed plate is safe 

 until called for. 



The alphabet for the beginner in wild- 

 life photography usuallv comprises nest- 

 ing birds of the neighborhood, chip- 

 munks, the lazy and sun-loving wood- 

 chuck, or the stolid porcupine, and even 

 then many difficulties confront the novice, 

 the overcoming of which opens the door 

 for picturing rarer or more active sub- 

 jects. 



Some who take up camera hunting be- 

 come discouraged by early failures and 

 are unable to see how such an instrument 



