Familiar Studies of Wild Birds 



support for the camera, which was clamped 

 on with a universal clamp. Although this did 

 not bring the lens so close to its object as 

 could have been desired, the arrangement was 

 otherwise very convenient. 



This pair of swallows showed practically no 

 fear of the camera, and while I snapped most 

 of the pictui-es from below (using a thread), 

 they would come and go when I was up chang- 

 ing films. The old birds Avere carrying in 

 food when this nest was discovered about June 

 24th. After it had fed the young, each bird 

 remained impatiently waiting in the entrance 

 during the three or four minutes that usually 

 elapsed before the arrival of its mate. Tlie 

 bird waiting always greeted its returning mate 

 with a twittering welcome, and then soared 

 forth inmiediately into the sky. The above 

 precaution may have been for the purpose of 

 guarding the newly-hatched young against the 

 inroads of thieving sapsuckers. 



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