6 
The Queensland Naturalist. 
March, 1923' 
gartled as characteristie. They are more lasting in pomt 
ol' time, tluin those postures and expressions, and create 
a more lastiiig expression. Vanity is characteristic in 
Tile liuman race, hut fortunately llie element of vanity 
in the character of wild animals’ is generally small. The 
fact tliat their whole aim in life is to live themselves and 
produce their kind ensures that their characteristic ex- 
]U‘e^'sions and attitudes shall he of a less complication 
and coniusing character tlian those of the human race.- 
Their fre(|uency of recurrence may be taken as some 
guide to their imiuirtauce. 
Ill all animals at leaet two characteristics may he 
looked for — the position of action and the position of‘ 
ri'pose. Botli admit of sTihdivisions — action for example 
may conpu'ise defence and attack, and isf the most difficult 
to deal with ])hotograph:cally. 
There Is also more than the mere attitude to be- 
looked for in a characteristic photograph. The surround- 
ings must be carefully considered and tlios’e particular 
markings and peculiarities which differentiate the sub- 
jects from closely allied st)eci'es. 
Now as to the third essential in Natural History 
work, suip)osing a shar]') picture ha^» been obtained in a 
(diarac'teristic attitude amid characteristic surroundings,, 
and with its characteristic external features well dis- 
l)layed — ttie photographer is really only; at the com- 
mencomeut of his difficulties and has by no means com- 
pleted Jiis tas'k. Excellejit as the picture may be, it 
should only form one of a seines of picf’iires showing 
stages (d' development. It is in work of this kind that 
thiu-e seems to be such a maguifieeut field for photographer 
11 at lira lists. 
J^et the photographer naturalist select a s’iugle living 
form in his particular locality^ and determine to satis- 
factorily record every stage of its development which is 
pht)tfkgraphical iy possible. Let him then turn his atten- 
tion to its habits, to its characterTstic positions of res’t or 
inoveineut. to its similarity or dissimilarity with closely 
allied species. Let him supply [>hotographic deficioue'es. 
l)y a written record of colouration, measurements, and 
s'o forth, and the result can haially fail to he valnable. 
Hpecial attention can he called to the plienomena of 
■metamor])hosis and mimicry. There is an inexhaustible 
supply in this country of material for the illustration. of 
either. 
