364 



BIRD-LIFE IX WESTERN CANADA 



I determined to watch them until their morning walk was 

 concluded. But at the end of three hours, my artist-com- 

 panion, Louis Fuertes, arrived, with news of the discovery 

 not only of a Ptarmigan 's nest hut of that of a Pipit also. 



I had long before exposed my last plate on the singularly 

 tame birds with which I had been spending the morning, but 

 sad experiences with birds' nests left until "to-morrow," 



" Almost permitted us to stroke her " 



induced me to return to camp for a fresh supply and at once 

 follow my fortunate guide across a snowfiehl — where a bear 

 had preceded us the night before — to be introduced to the 

 little brown bird in the heather. 



No photographer ever had a more patient sitter. With- 

 out audible objection, she permitted herself to be pictured 

 from this side, then from that, and almost permitted us to 

 stroke her as she sat on her five speckled eggs. 



