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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75287 ***
+
+
+
+
+
+                       BIRD STUDIES WITH A CAMERA
+
+
+[Illustration: 1. Gannet (flying over), Murres, Puffins, and Razorbilled
+Auks.]
+
+
+
+
+                       BIRD STUDIES WITH A CAMERA
+    WITH INTRODUCTORY CHAPTERS ON THE OUTFIT AND METHODS OF THE BIRD
+                              PHOTOGRAPHER
+
+
+                          BY FRANK M. CHAPMAN
+
+   ASSISTANT CURATOR OF VERTEBRATE ZOÖLOGY IN THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF
+   NATURAL HISTORY, AND AUTHOR OF HANDBOOK OF BIRDS OF EASTERN NORTH
+                        AMERICA, BIRD-LIFE, ETC.
+
+[Illustration: [Logo]]
+
+     _WITH OVER ONE HUNDRED PHOTOGRAPHS FROM NATURE, BY THE AUTHOR_
+
+                                NEW YORK
+                        D. APPLETON AND COMPANY
+                                  1900
+
+
+
+
+                            COPYRIGHT, 1900,
+                          BY FRANK M. CHAPMAN.
+
+                         _All rights reserved._
+
+
+
+
+                               THIS BOOK
+
+                            IS DEDICATED TO
+
+                                MY WIFE,
+
+                 WHO, BOTH AT HOME AND AFIELD, IS EVER
+
+                          “MY BEST ASSISTANT.”
+
+
+
+
+         You have learnt from the Birds and continue to learn,
+         Your best benefactors and early instructors.
+                                       FRERE’S _Aristophanes_.
+
+
+
+
+                                PREFACE
+
+
+The practice of photographing birds in Nature is of too recent origin in
+this country to permit of its being treated authoritatively. The methods
+which may be employed are so numerous, the field to be covered so
+limitless, that many years must elapse before the bird photographer’s
+outfit will meet his wants, while the constantly varying details which
+surround his subjects almost prohibit duplication of experience.
+
+But it is these very difficulties which render all the more imperative
+the necessity of conference among workers in this fascinating and
+important branch of natural history. The causes of both success and
+failure should, through the medium of books and journals, be made
+accessible to all, thereby shortening this experimental stage of the
+study of birds with a camera, and hastening the day when the nature of
+the outfit and methods shall have been settled with more or less
+definiteness.
+
+It is as a contribution toward this end, and as a means of answering the
+queries of numerous correspondents, that the following pages, embodying
+the results of my own experiences, are offered. It is sincerely hoped
+that they may increase the interest in the study of birds in Nature, and
+at the same time furnish a more profitable and delightful outlet for the
+hunting instinct than is afforded by the shotgun or rifle.
+
+A large proportion of the Bird Rock pictures and several of those from
+Pelican Island have appeared in the Century and St. Nicholas
+respectively, and are here reproduced by the courtesy of the editors of
+those magazines; others have been previously published in Bird-Lore.
+
+                                                       FRANK M. CHAPMAN.
+
+  AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY,
+          NEW YORK CITY, _March, 1900_.
+
+
+
+
+                                CONTENTS
+
+
+                                                                    PAGE
+ INTRODUCTION                                                          1
+ What is bird photography?—The scientific value of bird photography—The
+                       charm of bird photography.
+
+            _THE OUTFIT AND METHODS OF THE BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER_
+ THE BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER’S OUTFIT                                        6
+   The camera—The lens—The shutter—The tripod—Plates—Blinds—Sundries.
+ THE METHODS OF THE BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER                                 26
+         Haunts—Seasons—Nests and eggs—Young birds—Adult birds.
+
+                      _BIRD STUDIES WITH A CAMERA_
+ BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY BEGINS AT HOME                                      40
+ THE CHICKADEE—A STUDY IN BLACK AND WHITE                             47
+ THE LEAST BITTERN AND SOME OTHER REED INHABITANTS                    62
+ TWO HERONS                                                           76
+ WHERE SWALLOWS ROOST                                                 89
+ TWO DAYS WITH THE TERNS                                             106
+ PERCÉ AND BONAVENTURE                                               128
+ THE MAGDALENS                                                       146
+ BIRD ROCK                                                           152
+ LIFE ON PELICAN ISLAND, WITH SOME SPECULATIONS ON THE ORIGIN OF
+   BIRD MIGRATION                                                    191
+
+
+
+
+                         LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
+
+
+                                                                    PAGE
+   1. Gannet, Murres, Puffins, and Razorbilled Auks       _Frontispiece_
+      _Tailpiece._ Young Baltimore Oriole                              5
+      _Initial._ Long-focus camera and telephoto lens                  6
+   2. Lens test No. 1                                                 14
+   3. Enlargement of the bird in test No. 1                           15
+   4. Lens test No. 2                                                 16
+   5. Enlargement of bird in test No. 2                               17
+   6. Lens test No. 3                                                 18
+   7. Enlargement of bird in test No. 3                               19
+      _Initial._ Young Great-crested Flycatcher                       26
+   8. Spring                                                          27
+   9. Summer                                                          27
+  10. Autumn                                                          28
+  11. Winter—four pictures (Nos. 8–11) from the same
+        point of view                                                 28
+  12. Nest locality of five species                                   29
+  13. Nesting site, nest, and young of Marsh Hawk                     30
+  14. Young Marsh Hawks and nest                                      31
+  15. Young Great-crested Flycatcher                                  32
+  16. Young Baltimore Orioles and nest                                33
+  17. Wood Thrush on nest                                             34
+  18. Chestnut-sided Warbler on nest                                  35
+  19. Catbird scolding                                                37
+      _Initial._ “Fairview”                                           40
+  20. House Sparrows and Junco                                        41
+  21. Junco                                                           42
+  22. Female House Sparrow and nest                                   43
+  23. Screech Owl                                                     44
+      _Initial._ Chickadee                                            47
+  24. Chickadee on ground                                             49
+  25. Chickadee taking piece of bread                                 50
+  26. A bird in the hand                                              51
+  27. Chickadee at nest hole                                          54
+  28. Chickadee at nest hole                                          55
+  29. A Chickadee family                                              58
+  30. A Chickadee family                                              59
+      _Initial._ Red-winged Blackbird                                 62
+  31. Least Bittern’s nesting site                                    64
+  32. Least Bittern’s nest and eggs                                   66
+  33. Least Bittern mimicking surroundings                            67
+  34. Least Bittern mimicking surroundings                            68
+  35. Young Red-winged Blackbirds                                     71
+  36. Least Bittern eating her eggs                                   73
+  37. Least Bittern on nest                                           74
+      _Initial._ Where the Night Herons feed                          76
+  38. Five Night Herons’ nests in swamp maple                         79
+  39. A view in the Heron rookery                                     80
+  40. Night Heron feeding                                             81
+  41. Young Night Herons in nest                                      82
+  42. Young Night Herons leaving nest                                 83
+  43. Young Night Herons on branches                                  84
+  44. Great Blue Heron, nests and young                               88
+      _Initial._ Tree Swallows on wires                               89
+  45. Hackensack marshes in August                                    91
+  46. Marsh mallows                                                   93
+  47. Wild rice                                                       94
+  48. Tree Swallows on wires                                          97
+  49. Tree Swallows in tree                                          100
+  50. Tree Swallows on wire and at pile                              102
+  51. Swallows in the road                                           104
+      _Initial._ A corner of Penikese                                106
+  52. Nesting site, nest, and three eggs of Common Tern              110
+  53. Tern hovering above nest                                       111
+  54. Nest and eggs of Tern on upland                                112
+  55. Tern’s nest and eggs in drift _débris_                         113
+  56. Young Tern hiding on rocky beach                               114
+  57. Young Tern hiding in the grass                                 115
+  58. Tern alighting on nest                                         116
+  59. Tern on hillside nest                                          117
+  60. Tern’s nest and hatching eggs in seaweed                       118
+  61. Tern about to feed young                                       119
+  62. Tern brooding young                                            120
+  63. Tern on beach nest                                             121
+  64. Tern on beach nest                                             121
+  65. Tern on upland nest                                            122
+  66. Young Terns about four days old                                123
+  67. Young Tern about a week old                                    124
+  68. Young Tern, second plumage appearing                           124
+  69. Young Tern, further advance of second plumage                  125
+  70. Young Tern, stage before flight                                126
+      _Initial._ A Percé codfisher                                   128
+  71. Percé Rock from the north                                      131
+  72. Percé Rock from the southeast                                  134
+  73. Splitting cod on Percé beach                                   136
+  74. Young Savanna Sparrow                                          137
+  75. Gannet cliffs of Bonaventure                                   140
+  76. Cornel or bunchberry                                           142
+  77. A ledge of nesting Gannets                                     144
+      _Initial._ Grosse Isle                                         146
+  78. Nest and eggs of Fox Sparrow                                   148
+  79. Young Guillemots                                               150
+      _Initial._ The Bird Rock light                                 152
+  80. Bird Rock from the southwest                                   153
+  81. North side of Bird Rock                                        156
+  82. A corner of the Rock                                           160
+  83. The landing at the base of the Rock                            164
+  84. The landing on top of the Rock                                 165
+  85. Kittiwakes and young on nests                                  168
+  86. The lighthouse, keeper’s dwelling, and other
+        buildings                                                    169
+  87. Razorbilled Auks and “Ringed” Murre                            170
+  88. Puffins                                                        172
+  89. Murre’s egg                                                    174
+  90. Young Murres and egg                                           175
+  91. Kittiwakes and young on nests                                  176
+  92. Entrance to Puffin’s burrow                                    177
+  93. Puffin’s nest and egg                                          178
+  94. Young Puffin on nest                                           179
+  95. Leach’s Petrel on nest                                         180
+  96. Young Leach’s Petrel with nesting material                     181
+  97. Young Gannet                                                   182
+  98. Gannets                                                        183
+  99. Gannets on nests                                               186
+ 100. Gannet on nest                                                 188
+      _Initial._ Young Pelicans in nest tree                         191
+ 101. Pelicans on ground nests                                       197
+ 102. Interviewing a group of young Pelicans                         198
+ 103. Among the Pelicans                                             199
+ 104. Head and pouch of Pelican                                      200
+ 105. Pelican’s pouch from above                                     201
+ 106. Newly hatched Pelicans and nests                               206
+ 107. Young Pelican in tree nest                                     208
+ 108. Young Pelican, downy stage                                     209
+ 109. Young Pelican, wing quills appearing                           211
+ 110. Young Pelicans, stage preceding flight                         212
+
+
+
+
+                       BIRD STUDIES WITH A CAMERA
+
+    WITH INTRODUCTORY CHAPTERS ON THE OUTFIT AND METHODS OF THE BIRD
+                              PHOTOGRAPHER
+
+
+
+
+                              INTRODUCTION
+
+
+_What is Bird Photography?_—Bird photography, as I would encourage its
+practice, does not mean simply photographing birds; it means the use of
+the camera as an aid in depicting the life histories of birds. A picture
+of the bird itself is, of course, of the first importance, but any fact
+in its biography which the camera can be employed to portray is within
+the province of bird photography.
+
+_The Scientific Value of Bird Photography._—There are certain matters,
+such as a bird’s song, its time of migration, etc., which must be set
+forth with the pen; there are others, such as its haunts, nesting site,
+nest, eggs, the appearance and development of its young, where the
+camera is so far ahead of the pen in its power of graphic representation
+that it is a waste of time to use the former when circumstances permit
+the utilization of the latter.
+
+A photograph of a marsh or wood showing the favorite haunts of a species
+is worth more than pages of description. A picture of a bird’s nesting
+site conveys a better idea of the situation than words can possibly
+give, while in place of such vague phrases as “nest of coarse grasses,
+weed stalks, rootlets, etc., lined with finer materials,” we have a
+faithful delineation of the nest itself. The shape and pattern of
+markings of the eggs may also be well shown with the camera, while the
+appearance of the young at birth, their development, and often the
+manner in which they are fed, may all be portrayed by the camera with a
+realism which convinces one of the truthfulness of the result.
+
+By the exercise of much patience and ingenuity we may also photograph
+the adult bird, showing it at rest or in motion, brooding its eggs or
+caring for its young. Under favorable conditions such pictures may
+possess an exactness of detail which makes them perfect representations
+of the original, giving not alone position and expression, but the
+arrangement of the feathers, and they then have scientific value
+unequaled by the best productions of the artist’s brush or pencil.
+
+From the nature of the case, perfection in this branch of bird
+photography is not always attained; nevertheless, even pictures which
+are failures from a photographic standpoint may be of interest to the
+naturalist. They may be lacking in detail and still give pose, thus
+furnishing models from which drawings containing all structural
+essentials may be made.
+
+The camera may also supply us with graphic records of the few large
+colonies of birds yet existing in this country, thereby preserving for
+all time definite impressions of conditions which are rapidly becoming
+things of the past.
+
+What an invaluable addition to the history of the Great Auk would be a
+series of photographs from Funk Island, taken during the period of its
+existence there!
+
+Of what surpassing interest would be photographs of the former flights
+of Wild Pigeons, which the younger generations of to-day can with
+difficulty believe occurred!
+
+_The Charm of Bird Photography._—As a onetime sportsman, who yielded to
+none in his enjoyment of the chase, I can affirm that there is a
+fascination about the hunting of wild animals with a camera as far ahead
+of the pleasure to be derived from their pursuit with shotgun or rifle
+as the sport found in shooting Quail is beyond that of breaking clay
+“Pigeons”. Continuing the comparison, from a sportsman’s standpoint,
+hunting with a camera is the highest development of man’s inherent love
+of the chase.
+
+The killing of a bird with a gun seems little short of murder after one
+has attempted to capture its image with a lens. The demands on the skill
+and patience of the bird photographer are endless, and his pleasure is
+intensified in proportion to the nature of the difficulties to be
+overcome, and in the event of success it is perpetuated by the
+infinitely more satisfactory results obtained. He does not rejoice over
+a bag of mutilated flesh and feathers, but in the possession of a
+trophy—an eloquent token of his prowess as a hunter, a talisman which
+holds the power of revivifying the circumstances attending its
+acquisition.
+
+What mental vision of falling birds can be as potent as the actual
+picture of living birds in their homes? And how immeasurably one’s
+memories are brightened by the fact that this is not a picture of what
+has been but of what is!
+
+The camera thus opens the door to a field of sport previously closed to
+those who love birds too much to find pleasure in killing them; to whom
+Bob-White’s ringing whistle does not give rise to murderous speculations
+as to the number in his family, but to an echo of the season’s joy which
+his note voices. They therefore have a new incentive to take them out of
+doors; for however much we love Nature for Nature’s sake, there are few
+of us whose pleasure in an outing is not intensified by securing some
+definite, lasting result.
+
+We are not all poets and seers, finding sufficient reward for a hard
+day’s tramp in a sunset glow or the song of a bird. Enjoy these things
+as we may, who would not like to perpetuate the one or the other in some
+tangible form?
+
+And here we have one of the reasons for the collecting of birds and eggs
+long after the collector’s needs are satisfied. He goes on duplicating
+and reduplicating merely to appease the almost universal desire to
+possess any admired although useless object. Once let him appreciate,
+however, the pleasure of hunting with a camera, the greater skill
+required, and the infinitely greater value of the results to be
+obtained, and he will have no further use for gun, climbing irons, and
+egg drill.
+
+Furthermore, the camera hunter possesses the advantage over the
+so-called true sportsman, in that all is game that falls to his gun;
+there is not a bird too small or too tame to be unworthy of his
+attention; nor are there seasonal restrictions to be observed, nor
+temptations to break game laws, but every day in the year he is free to
+go afield, and at all times he may find something to claim his
+attention.
+
+Finally, there is to be added to the special charm of bird photography
+the general charm attending the use of the camera. Thousands of people
+are finding pleasure in the comparatively prosaic employment of
+photographing houses, bridges, and other patiently immovable objects
+wholly at the camerist’s mercy. Imagine, then, the far greater enjoyment
+of successes not only of real value in themselves, but undeniable
+tributes to one’s skill both as photographer and hunter.
+
+Nor should this introduction be closed without due acknowledgment to the
+educational value of photography, to its power to widen the scope of our
+vision, and to increase our appreciation of the beautiful. There is a
+magic in the lens, the ground glass, and the dark-cloth which transform
+the commonest object into a thing of rarest interest.
+
+[Illustration: [Bird]]
+
+
+
+
+            THE OUTFIT AND METHODS OF THE BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER
+
+
+                     THE BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER’S OUTFIT
+
+The beginner must not suppose that good bird photographs can be made
+only with expensive apparatus. Under favorable conditions there is no
+great difference in the results secured with the ordinary camera and
+lens of any reputable maker and those of the highest class. My own work
+has for the greater part been done with an outfit costing about thirty
+dollars; and although the best lens is, of course, to be desired it is
+not a necessity, and cost therefore is no more an obstacle to the
+hunting of birds with a camera than it is to their pursuit with a gun.
+
+_The Camera._—Individual taste will doubtless govern the size of the
+camera chosen, but most naturalists and sportsmen consider the camera
+carrying a plate four by five inches as the one best adapted to their
+wants, and with this decision I heartily agree. The advantages of size,
+weight, and economy, both as regards the camera, its holders, and
+plates, are all in favor of the 4 × 5, while as far as the bird
+photographer is concerned, it is not often that he has need of anything
+larger. The image of a bird will rarely be without adequate setting in a
+space four by five inches, which will also be found to be large enough
+for the portrayal of nests and eggs.
+
+The 4 × 5 also reduces proportionately in making lantern slides, and if
+the picture is made the long way of the plate—that is, higher than
+broad—it can be easily adapted for illustrative purposes in duodecimo or
+octavo books. When a larger picture is desired it can readily be made by
+enlargement, an increase in size of three diameters, or six times the
+area, being possible from a sharp negative without undue loss of
+definition.
+
+For use from a tripod any one of the several excellent long-focus
+cameras now on the market will be found to answer every requirement. If
+it is proposed to employ a telephoto lens, care should be taken to
+select the camera combining greatest bellows length with rigidity. A
+reversible back increases the size somewhat but adds to the length of
+bellows, and will be found serviceable in the many awkward situations in
+which the bird photographer is often placed by the nature of his
+subjects.
+
+The Kearton brothers have an “adjustable miniature” on the top of their
+camera, which they state “is used as a sort of view finder when making
+studies of flying birds. When fixed in position and its focus has been
+set exactly like its working companion beneath it, both are racked out
+in the same ratio by the screw dominating the larger apparatus.”[A] The
+purposes of this attachment, however, will, it seems probable, be better
+served by the reflecting camera described below, while as a finder alone
+its place may be taken by the “iconoscope” and other of the prism
+finders, the brilliant image cast by which is such a striking and
+satisfactory improvement on the hazy outlines given by the average
+so-called “finder.”
+
+Footnote A:
+
+  From Wild Life at Home, how to Study and Photograph It, by R. Kearton,
+  illustrated by C. Kearton; a work of the utmost interest to the animal
+  photographer, who should also read With Nature and a Camera, by the
+  same authors (Cassell & Co.).
+
+For use as a hand-box only two kinds of camera are available, for it
+must be borne in mind that the set-focus or short-focus, wide angle
+“snap-shot” cameras, so popular among the button-pressing fraternity,
+are not adapted to the wants of the bird photographer, who must
+therefore avail himself of either a twin-lens or a reflecting camera.
+
+Twin-lens cameras are manufactured by several well-known firms, but the
+trade size is of too short focus to be desirable. In this type of camera
+two lenses of equal foci are employed. They are set one above the other
+in bellows, which move as one. The lower lens makes the picture, the
+upper projects a duplicate of the image cast by the lower lens to a
+mirror set at an angle of forty-five degrees to the plane of the plate,
+whence it is reflected upward to a ground glass, which is protected by a
+hood, on top of the camera.
+
+To focus perfectly the lenses should be “matched” or “paired”—in short,
+interchangeable—thereby greatly increasing the cost of the camera, which
+is also rendered objectionable by its large size.
+
+The reflecting camera possesses all the advantages of the twin-lens, but
+requires only one lens, and when in use is not materially larger than
+the ordinary 4 × 5 long-focus box.
+
+The reflecting camera now in my possession was designed and made by John
+Rowley, of the American Museum of Natural History, and was fully
+described and illustrated by him in Bird-Lore for April, 1900. It
+resembles the upper half of the twin-lens camera in that a mirror, set
+at an angle of forty-five degrees to the plate, is interposed between
+the latter and the lens, and reflects its image to a ground glass on top
+of the camera. This mirror, however, is movable, and the desired object
+appearing in focus on the ground glass, a lever is pressed downward
+which raises the mirror to the top of the box, where it automatically
+releases a focal-plane shutter (see beyond, under The Shutter) directly
+in front of the plate, when the image-bearing rays, before intercepted
+and reflected by the mirror, are registered on the plate, from which the
+slide had previously been drawn.
+
+When the focal-plane or curtain shutter has been set and the slide drawn
+from the plate holder, this camera is like a cocked gun, which may be
+fired the moment it is sighted; or, in other words, the exposure may be
+made the instant focus is secured. With this camera one may take
+advantage of any offering opportunity to secure a picture of a bird or
+beast when afield, and this fact, by increasing the possibilities of an
+outing, adds greatly to its pleasure.
+
+Mr. Rowley has so designed this camera that it may be used from a tripod
+as well as in the hands; but when the tripod camera is to be left,
+perhaps for hours, hidden near some bird’s nest, I prefer to employ the
+long-focus for this purpose, and retain the reflecting camera for
+possible use on the birds that so often approach closely when one is in
+hiding. The advantages possessed by this camera are so apparent that it
+doubtless will soon be placed on the market.
+
+_The Lens._—Professional photographers differ so widely in their
+opinions of the relative qualities of the various makes of lenses now on
+the market, that I approach this subject with diffidence, and, without
+presuming to offer advice, present the results of my experience both as
+to lenses and the requirements of the bird photographer. In regard to
+the latter phase of the much-discussed question of “What lens shall I
+use?” I may speak with more confidence. For nests with eggs or young
+birds—subjects which may be approached closely—a six- to
+eight-inch-focus lens forms a large enough image, and at the same time
+gives depth of focus and sharpness of definition without the use of the
+smaller diaphragms. In photographing birds, however, it is generally
+difficult to get within “shooting” distance, and at least a fourteen- to
+sixteen-inch lens is needed in order to secure an image of sufficient
+size. Depth of focus is here, in my opinion, not desirable, and the
+focal point—the bird—is brought out more clearly by the fusion of all
+the objects back of it into a uniform background.
+
+When a bird, either young or old, is the subject, great speed may be
+required, and sometimes under light conditions which severely test the
+qualities of the lens. To fully meet these demands of distance and time
+two lenses would be needed; but, aside from the increased cost and the
+inconvenience of using two lenses, the great size and weight of a
+long-focus lens are drawbacks. These objections are largely overcome by
+the use of the symmetrical lenses placed in most of the long-focus
+boxes, or, if expense be not considered, by a “convertible” lens.
+
+For several years I have used a “Victor” lens, sold with the “Premo”
+long-focus camera. The combined focus of the front and back lenses is
+seven and a half inches, of either of the lenses alone, fifteen inches.
+The single lens therefore, the distance being the same, gives an image
+double the size of that cast by the two lenses together.
+
+This lens has been thoroughly tested, and many of the pictures given in
+this book were made with it. When the conditions are favorable and the
+subject not extremely difficult it yields satisfactory results.
+
+The “convertible” lenses of various makers are also separable, and where
+the rear and front lenses are of different foci three focal lengths are
+obtainable. These lenses are of the highest grade, and consequently
+expensive. In a bright light, or where great speed is not required, they
+do not seem to be as superior to the trade lens as the much higher price
+would lead one to expect. But in dull days, or in the shadow, or where
+extremely rapid exposures are necessary, their superior qualities become
+evident. My experience with these convertible lenses has been limited to
+the Zeiss Anastigmat, Series VII _a_, of which I am now using a No. 10
+with a combined focus of eight inches, the front and rear lenses both
+having a focal length of fourteen inches. This combination is preferred
+to one in which the component lenses are of different foci, because of
+the greater speed of the two when combined, and furthermore, because,
+being of the same focus, they could, if occasion arose, be used in a
+twin-lens box. The speed of the combination is registered at F. 6.3;
+that of the single lenses at 12.5. With the former the most rapid
+exposures can be made successfully, while the latter are sufficiently
+fast to permit of ordinary instantaneous work. This lens is stated to
+cover a 5 × 8½ plate, and when in use on a 4 × 5 camera gives a high
+degree of illumination and perfect definition.
+
+The telephoto lens may be employed in certain kinds of bird photography
+with not unsatisfactory results. Its disadvantages are lack of speed, an
+exposure of at least one half a second to a second being required at F.
+8 in bright sunlight, the necessity of extreme care in focusing, and of
+absolute rigidity of the camera at the time of making the exposure. In
+short, the telephotographer needs more time, both before and after
+pressing his bulb, than the bird photographer is often accorded.
+However, with such subjects as nests high in trees or on cliffs, Herons
+and other shore-inhabiting birds, Ducks on the water or Hawks perched in
+leafless trees, the telephoto will be found serviceable.
+
+Negatives are frequently secured in which the figure of the bird, while
+small, is sharp, when, by enlargement, a desirable picture can be made
+of what in the original was too small to be easily distinguishable. An
+increase in size of two diameters is possible from any fairly sharp
+negative, but if the object be in perfect focus an increase of four
+diameters may be made.
+
+These enlargements may be made with an enlarging camera or with the aid
+of a Nehring enlarging lens, which is placed between the front and back
+lenses of the view lens, when, with the ordinary long-focus camera, a
+magnification of about four diameters may be obtained, the image being
+thrown on to a piece of bromide paper in the plate holder.
+
+Through enlargement many apparently worthless negatives become of value,
+and in some instances pictures can be made from different parts of the
+same negative. From the sportsman-photographer’s standpoint there is,
+however, one objection to the use of a magnifying lens. It gives
+deceptive results, and those who are not familiar with its powers are
+apt to accord the photographer undue praise for his apparent skill in
+successfully approaching some bird or beast which may have been far out
+of range. A not wholly unrelated kind of enlargement is sometimes
+applied to the contents of creels and game bags!
+
+But the animal photographer is so heavily handicapped that in this case
+the end assuredly justifies the means. As a matter of information,
+however, it seems eminently desirable to accompany all enlarged pictures
+by a statement of the extent of their magnification, and throughout this
+book this plan is followed. Consequently, when there is no mention of
+enlargement, it may be accepted as a fact that the print from which the
+reproduction was made was obtained from the negative by contact.
+
+In illustration of these suggestions in regard to the proper lenses for
+bird photography, a series of pictures is presented which shows the
+results to be obtained under the same conditions with different lenses.
+
+[Illustration: 2. Lens Test No. 1. Mounted Flicker on fence post,
+distance fifty feet. Eight-inch focus, Zeiss Convertible, No. 10, Series
+VII _a_ lens; diaphragm F. 8, ¹⁄₂₅ second; Cramer “Crown” plate.
+Photographed at noon, in sunlight, November 30, 1899.]
+
+[Illustration: 3. The bird in Test No. 1 enlarged about three
+diameters.]
+
+Placing a mounted Flicker (_Colaptes auratus_) on a fence post, and
+setting up my tripod at a measured distance of fifty feet, a series of
+test exposures was made, of which three are presented as follows:
+First,^2 eight-inch lens (Zeiss Convertible Series VII _a_, No. 10),
+stop F. 8, time ¹⁄₂₅ second; second,^4 fourteen-inch front lens of the
+combination, stop F. 16 (equivalent to F. 4 of the eight-inch); third,^6
+telephoto attachment with eight-inch lens, twenty-one-inch bellows, stop
+F. 8 of the eight-inch, time one second. Commenting on the results of
+these tests it may first be mentioned that in the “Unicum” shutter
+employed exposures of a so-called “¹⁄₁₀₀” and “¹⁄₂₅” seconds gave
+exactly the same results both with the combined eight-inch lens and the
+front fourteen-inch lens; the actual time, however, was doubtless not
+far from ¹⁄₂₅ of a second. The negatives, therefore, show, in the first
+place, that the long-focus lens is capable of doing fairly rapid work.
+Continuing our comparison, we observe that the eight-inch gives a fairly
+wide field, excellent depth of focus, but a very small image of the
+bird, for which alone the picture has been made. With the fourteen-inch
+we decrease the extent of the field nearly one half and almost double
+the size of the object pictured. This, however, has been done at the
+loss of depth of focus, not even the first of the line of posts running
+directly into the background being sharply defined, while with the
+eight-inch all are in focus.
+
+[Illustration: 4. Lens Test No. 2. Same subject, distance, plate, and
+date as Test No. 1. Front lens (fourteen-inch focus) of Zeiss
+Convertible, No. 10; diaphragm F. 16; ¹⁄₂₅ second.]
+
+[Illustration: 5. The bird in Test No. 2 enlarged about three
+diameters.]
+
+The telephoto gives an enlargement of about six diameters of the image
+thrown by eight-inch lens, and three diameters increase of that of the
+fourteen-inch lens. It practically restricts the picture to the
+immediate surroundings of the bird, and is without focal depth.
+
+[Illustration: 6. Lens Test No. 3. Same subject, distance, plate, and
+date as Tests Nos. 2 and 3. Eight-inch Zeiss Convertible, Series VII
+_a_, No. 10, with telephoto attachment; diaphragm F. 8; twenty-one-inch
+bellows; one second (½ second was later found to be full time).]
+
+Having now made three good negatives in the field, we may, by
+enlargement, improve on the image of the bird obtained. The
+possibilities in this direction are clearly shown by the three
+enlargements accompanying the contact prints from their respective
+negatives. In each instance the enlargement is about three diameters,
+and the telephoto negative of course furnishes the most satisfactory
+picture. When the difficulties of telephotography are considered,
+however, and the ¹⁄₂₅-second exposure of the fourteen-inch lens, which
+permits of hand work, is compared with the one second of the telephoto,
+we believe that for general work in photographing birds a lens having a
+focal length of at least fourteen inches will be found the most
+satisfactory. It should be added that, in order to make them wholly
+comparable, the three contact prints as well as the enlargements were
+made on enameled bromide paper.
+
+[Illustration: 7. The bird in Test No. 3 enlarged about three
+diameters.]
+
+_The Shutter._—For fairly rapid, slow, and time exposures, a lens
+shutter, such as is sold with trade cameras, will be found suitable.
+Simplicity and noiselessness are the chief requirements in this kind of
+a shutter. The “Iris Diaphragm” shutter is noiseless when used for slow
+exposures of two or three seconds, a matter of much importance in making
+time pictures of sitting birds, who are apt to turn their head if they
+hear the click of the shutter. This shutter, however, does not respond
+quickly in slow exposures and is very heavy, a disadvantage in
+telephotography.
+
+The “Unicum” shutter is lighter, responds quickly, has a lever to which
+a thread may be attached for making exposures from a distance, can be
+easily diaphragmed from the rear, but is not wholly noiseless. There are
+also other shutters, each possessing good points of its own, and the
+selection of any one of them for use in medium rapid, slow, or time work
+can be left to the photographer, who should, however, remember that the
+time scales on these shutters represent degrees of difference and not
+exact measurements of time, and that there is great variation in the
+exposures of different shutters of the same make when similarly
+adjusted. Thus the “one fifth of a second” of one shutter may be
+equivalent to the “one second” of another. The scale on most of these
+shutters calls for a speed not exceeding a ¹⁄₁₀₀ part of a second, but
+this is far too slow an exposure to successfully photograph a flying
+bird at short range where a speed of at least ¹⁄₅₀₀ of a second is
+required.
+
+For very rapid work the choice is limited to one kind of shutter—that
+is, the focal-plane, which in effect is a curtain with an adjustable
+slit which is placed directly in front of the plate. Great speed with
+this shutter is in part secured by increasing the tension of the spring,
+which acts as its motive power, but more particularly by decreasing the
+width of the slit. Assuming, therefore, that it takes one second for the
+slit to pass from top to bottom of a plate four inches high, and that
+the slit is one inch in width, it follows that each portion of the plate
+is exposed to the light for a quarter of a second. Decreasing the width
+of the slit one half, proportionally reduces the time of the exposure,
+and by this means, in connection with an increase in the speed with
+which the curtain is moved, an exposure of ¹⁄₁₀₀₀ of a second is
+possible.
+
+In addition to possessing the advantage of great speed, this shutter
+also passes a higher percentage of light than a lens shutter even when
+the actual time of the so-called exposure is the same. This is due to
+the fact that the lens opening is in no way affected, it being the same
+throughout the exposure. With a lens shutter, on the contrary, the full
+value of the opening is given for only a fractional part of the
+exposure, the parts of the shutter more or less filling the opening
+during the rest of the time. With a focal-plane shutter, therefore, one
+may do rapid work under conditions where a lens shutter could not be
+successfully employed; time exposures, however, can not be made with the
+focal-plane shutter, and for all-around work the camera should be fitted
+with both a lens and a focal-plane shutter.
+
+The reflecting camera, as before stated, is fitted with a focal-plane
+shutter, and, as described, it is released by pressing the lever, which
+raises the mirror. Lens shutters, however, are released by a pneumatic
+bulb, or in some cases by a thread or string. When the exposure is to be
+made from a distance as much as one hundred feet of tubing may be
+employed. With any length of over twenty-five feet an extra large bulb
+is required. The ordinary tubing sold by photographers will not be found
+so well adapted to long-distance work as a less elastic kind, which does
+not so readily yield to pressure and transmits a larger portion of the
+force applied when squeezing the bulb.
+
+_The Tripod._—A stout two-length tripod is to be preferred to one of the
+slender multifolding type, in which stability is sacrificed to weight
+and size. The legs, except the inner sides of the upper section into
+which the lower section slides, and brass work should be painted bark
+color in order to make them as inconspicuous as possible. For use in the
+water a metal tripod will prove more serviceable than one of wood.
+
+A very useful substitute for a tripod is the “Graphic” ball-and-socket
+clamp designed more especially for bicycle camerists. With it a camera
+can easily be attached to the limb of a tree, rung of a ladder, or, by
+screwing a block on to the head of the tripod, it may be employed in
+connection with the tripod—in fact its applicability will be evident to
+every one using it.
+
+_Plates._—Among the many excellent brands of plates now offered to
+photographers there is really very little difference. However, it is
+advisable to select the one you think the most rapid and use it to the
+exclusion of all others. Under certain circumstances—in photographing
+Robins, for instance—isochromatic plates will be found desirable, and
+where a strong head light can not be avoided nonhalation plates may be
+employed.
+
+So much industry, skill, and patience are generally required of the bird
+photographer before he makes an exposure that he should guard against
+all chances of failure from the photographic side. It is therefore
+advisable to thoroughly test plates which it is probable may be exposed
+on a very difficult subject. Under no circumstances should the plate
+holders be needlessly exposed to the light, and when the camera is to be
+left for an indefinite period with the slide drawn from the holder and
+plate ready to expose, it should be carefully wrapped in the dark-cloth.
+
+_Blinds._—As the sportsman constructs blinds in which he may conceal
+himself from his prey, so the bird photographer may employ various means
+of hiding from his subjects. The Keartons recommend an artificial tree
+trunk for use in wooded places and an artificial rubbish heap for open
+fields. The former may be made of light duck, painted to resemble bark,
+and placed over a frame.
+
+The frame of the Keartons’ is of bamboo, but I find white pine answers
+very well, the main things to be considered being lightness and
+portability. The frame should therefore be collapsible in order that it
+may be easily packed.
+
+The Keartons’ field blind or “rubbish heap” consists of an umbrella, to
+each of the ribs of which strips of bamboo four feet in length are tied.
+This is then covered with light brown holland and wisps of straw tied
+over it in such a way as to “virtually thatch the whole structure.”
+Doubtless cornstalks properly arranged would make an excellent field
+blind.
+
+It is difficult to carry one of these blinds in addition to a camera,
+etc., without assistance, and I fear that the inconvenience attending
+their use will restrict them to the few enthusiasts who count neither
+time, labor, nor cost in attaining a desired end.
+
+For my own part, I prefer, when possible, to conceal my camera and make
+the exposure from a distance rather than to weight myself with a
+portable blind and to endure the discomforts of being confined within
+it.
+
+_Sundries._—The bird photographer will find that he requires numerous
+articles not usually to be found in the regulation photographic outfit,
+as, for example, climbers for ascending trees and stout cords for
+hauling the camera up after him; a dark-cloth, green in color, to aid in
+disguising the camera, and a mirror. The latter should be of plate
+glass, and measure at least twelve by ten inches. A good plan is to buy
+a piece of glass of desired size and frame it simply in white pine. It
+may then be attached to a limb, a stick driven in the ground, or other
+convenient object, by means of the ball-and-socket clamp mentioned under
+Tripods, which may be screwed into the back or the outer border of the
+frame. Such a mirror will reflect sunlight many yards to shaded nests,
+where, in photographing old or young birds, a quick exposure is
+necessary. A vest-pocket mirror, for use in reflecting the reading of
+the diaphragms or time on the shutter, will permit one to make the
+desired changes from the rear, and thus prove helpful when conditions do
+not permit one to work in front of the camera.
+
+A device which might be arranged on the principle of a trap, the trigger
+to be sprung and exposure made when the bait is taken, would doubtless
+capture some interesting pictures. An apparatus connected with an
+automatically fired flash-light, has been employed by Mr. G. A. Shiras,
+of Pittsburg, in photographing deer at night, with phenomenal success.
+The connection with the camera shutter was so made that the deer, in
+walking, touched a cord which exploded the flash-light, and, at the same
+moment, made the exposure. The light weight of most birds, however,
+requires a much more delicate apparatus, while an even greater
+difficulty is found in the movement caused by the release of the
+trigger, which startles the bird just as the exposure is made.
+
+Thus far in my experiments I have been unable to overcome these
+objections, but I trust some other bird photographer will be more
+successful.
+
+Those who are ambitious in the direction of cliff photography I would
+refer to the Keartons’ admirable treatise on the subject in their Wild
+Life at Home, for a description of the paraphernalia needed and the
+manner in which it should be used. My own experience in this line is
+limited, and I confess to the utter absence of a desire to increase it!
+
+
+
+
+                  THE METHODS OF THE BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER
+
+
+Claiming no special knowledge of the technique of pure photography, I
+would refer the beginner to any of the several excellent books designed
+to explain the rudiments of optical and chemical photography, and to
+instruct in regard to the matters of exposing, developing, printing,
+etc. Only such suggestions are given here, therefore, as relate directly
+to the manner in which birds, their nests, eggs, and haunts may be
+photographed.
+
+_Haunts._—Photographs of the characteristic haunts of birds should show
+not alone general topography, but should also be made with special
+reference to the bird’s feeding habits, which, more than anything else,
+govern the nature of the locality selected. Thus, a photograph of the
+home of the Woodcock would have added value if, in the immediate
+foreground, the “borings” made by this bird in probing the earth for
+food were evident; or a marsh scene, in which wild rice was conspicuous,
+would tell something of both the haunts and the food habits of the
+Reedbird and Red-winged Blackbird in August and September. In a similar
+way, pictures of wild cherry and dogwood trees, of bayberries and red
+cedar, which show both fruit and surroundings, are of interest in
+connection with the biographies of many birds.
+
+[Illustration: 8. Spring.]
+
+[Illustration: 9. Summer.]
+
+_Seasons._—The camera permits us to make so exact a record of the rise
+and fall of the year, as it is registered by vegetation, that we can
+actually compare existing conditions with those which prevailed at any
+previous time. Compare, for example, the series of four pictures^{8–11}
+here presented, all made from the same point of view, in order to
+appreciate how graphically seasonal changes may be shown by the camera.
+In this instance, photography is of more service to the botanist than to
+the ornithologist; but every student of migration knows how closely
+related are the appearance of certain birds and flowers, and will
+readily appreciate, therefore, the value of a series of photographs of
+several different subjects, taken at short intervals, and showing the
+changes in vegetation due to the approach of summer or winter. In
+connection with such related phenomena as temperature, rainfall, and
+weather, these pictures form as accurate a record of the seasons as it
+is possible to make, and if data of this kind could be brought together
+from many selected localities, we should have an admirable basis for the
+intelligent study of certain phases of bird migration.
+
+[Illustration: 10. Autumn.]
+
+_Nests and Eggs_.—The photographing of nests is one of the simpler forms
+of bird photography, but in many instances success is achieved only
+through the exercise of much patience and ingenuity.
+
+[Illustration: 11. Winter.]
+
+It should constantly be borne in mind, in photographing nests, that what
+is desired is not so much a picture of the nest alone as one which shows
+it in relation to its environment—in short, a picture of the nesting
+site is of more value than one of the nest only. It is advisable,
+however, to make at least three pictures, two^{12, 13} of which shall
+show the nature of the locality chosen, the other^{14} the character of
+the nest and its immediate surroundings. When the nest is not above five
+feet from the ground, little difficulty will be experienced in securing
+the desired picture. When on the ground it will sometimes be found
+helpful to put what naturally would be the rear leg of the tripod
+forward, _between_ the other two, when it will serve as a brace from in
+front, and permit the camera to be tilted well downward without danger
+of its falling.
+
+Nests at an elevation of seven or eight feet, in saplings, may be
+photographed by lengthening the tripod with short legs, each supplied
+with two staples or collars into which the ends of the tripod may be
+slipped; or a ladder or light scaffolding will sometimes be found
+necessary.
+
+[Illustration: 12. To show nest locality of: 1, Tree Swallow; 2,
+American Bittern; 3, Song Sparrow; 4, Maryland Yellow-throat; 5, Marsh
+Hawk, of which nesting site, nest, and young are shown in the two
+following pictures, Nos. 13 and 14. Meridian, N. Y., June 8, 1898.]
+
+For photographing nests in trees the “Graphic” ball-and-socket clamp is
+of great assistance. With it the camera may be attached to a limb, or,
+if the limb is too large, a block may be nailed to it, thus furnishing a
+grip to which the clamp may be fastened.
+
+[Illustration: 13. Nesting site, nest, and young of Marsh Hawk.]
+
+Nests should be photographed from the side, but eggs should be
+photographed from above in order to show their position in the nest as
+they were arranged by the incubating bird. The nest should therefore
+never be tipped, nor should the eggs be touched, lest the value of the
+subject be destroyed. The markings of most birds’ eggs are already well
+known, but if photographs of them are desired they can be made from the
+thousands of eggshells with which ill-directed effort has stocked the
+cabinets of misguided oölogists.
+
+[Illustration: 14. Young Marsh Hawks and nest.]
+
+It is not advisable to make photographs of nests in the sunlight, a
+diffused light giving greater detail. A screen of some thin white
+material should therefore be used as a shade when photographing nests
+exposed to the direct rays of the sun. This, however, will not be found
+necessary if the picture be made within two or three hours after
+sunrise, when the light is soft and the foliage comparatively
+motionless, permitting the use of a small diaphragm and a long exposure.
+
+[Illustration: 15. Young Great-crested Flycatcher.]
+
+_Young Birds._—The ease with which photographs of young birds may often
+be secured, the fact that with the camera their appearance and
+development may be more satisfactorily recorded than in any other way,
+makes their study by the photographer of exceeding importance.
+Photographs of young birds should of course be accompanied by notes on
+food, calls, special actions, etc., which the camera can not well
+portray.
+
+The young bird is a worthy subject from the moment it leaves the shell
+until, as far as flight is concerned, it deserves to be ranked with its
+elders. When possible, series of pictures should be made showing the
+rate of growth of the same brood from the period of hatching to the date
+when the nest is deserted. Circumstances do not, however, often permit
+of the forming of these ideal series, and we must therefore photograph
+the young bird as we find him, either before or after^{15} he has made
+his initial flight, or as he is preparing for it.^{16}
+
+The suggestions made under the head of Birds’ Nests and Eggs will apply
+in a general way to photographing young in the nest; but even when at
+rest in other respects, the rapid respiration of nestlings requires a
+quick exposure to insure sharpness of outline, and, when in the shadow,
+sufficient illumination can be secured only with the aid of a reflector.
+
+[Illustration: 16. Young Baltimore Orioles and nest.]
+
+_Adult Birds._—It is in photographing birds in the full possession of
+the powers of maturity that the bird photographer’s skill and patience
+are put to the most severe tests. It might be said that, from a strictly
+ornithological point of view, the results obtained do not in many
+instances justify the time expended. Success, however, in this field, as
+in many others, is not to be measured by the attainment of a certain
+end, but often by the experience gained in what, to one having only the
+ultimate object in view, may seem to have been fruitless effort.
+
+In matching one’s ability as a hunter against the timidity and cunning
+of a bird, relations are established between the photographer and his
+subject which of necessity result in their becoming intimately
+associated.
+
+[Illustration: 17. Wood Thrush on nest.]
+
+Doubtless we shall never know just what birds think of the peculiar
+antics in which the camera enthusiast sometimes indulges, but certain it
+is that an attempt to photograph some of the most familiar and
+presumably best-known birds will open the photographer’s eyes to facts
+in their life histories of which he was previously in utter ignorance.
+
+As a known and fixed point to which the bird may be expected to return,
+the nest offers the best opportunity to the bird photographer, and
+photographs of adult birds on or at their nests are more common than
+those taken under other conditions.^{17, 18}
+
+[Illustration: 18. Chestnut-sided Warbler on nest.]
+
+Birds vary greatly in their attitude toward a camera which has been
+erected near their homes; some species paying little attention to it,
+and, after a short time, coming and going as though it had always been
+there, while others are suspicious of any object which changes the
+appearance of their surroundings.
+
+With the latter special precautions are necessary, and unusual care
+should be taken in working about their nests lest they be made to desert
+it. The long-focus lens is here of great service, for it enables one to
+secure a sufficiently large image from a distance of ten or twelve feet.
+Even then it will often be necessary to conceal or disguise the camera
+by covering it with the green dark-cloth, vines, and leaves. A rubber
+tube or thread of requisite length is then attached and the exposure is
+made from a distance.
+
+A dummy camera, composed of a box or log wrapped in a green cloth and
+placed on a tripod made from saplings, may sometimes be erected to
+advantage several days before one expects to attempt to photograph the
+bird, who in the meantime becomes accustomed to it and quickly returns
+to the nest after the real camera has been substituted.
+
+The artificial tree trunk would doubtless be of assistance in some kinds
+of bird-at-the-nest photography, especially when one desired to secure
+pictures of the old bird feeding its young, and was obliged therefore to
+make the exposure at just the proper moment. In most instances, however,
+there is sufficient undergrowth in the immediate vicinity to afford
+concealment, from which with the aid of a glass one may take note of
+events.
+
+With the reflecting camera one may stalk birds on foot or with a boat,
+or “squeak” them into range by kissing the back of the hand vigorously,
+a sound which, during the nesting season especially, arouses much
+curiosity or anxiety in the bird’s mind.
+
+The decoys, blinds, batteries, sneak boxes, etc., of the sportsman are
+also at the disposal of the hunter with a camera, though I must admit
+that my one outing to photograph bay birds over decoys resulted in an
+empty bag. It was in the spring, however, when the bay birds surviving
+had experienced two shooting seasons and were exceedingly wild. In the
+fall, with birds born the preceding summer, one might be more
+successful.
+
+Birds may be sometimes brought within range of the camera by baiting
+them with food, and, after they have learned to expect it, placing the
+camera in suitable position. This may be most easily done when there is
+snow on the ground, at which time hunger makes most birds less
+suspicious of danger.
+
+[Illustration: 19. Catbird scolding.]
+
+From a considerable experience which, through poor equipment, has not
+yielded adequate return, I am convinced that one may secure excellent
+pictures of many birds by decoying them with either a mounted or living
+Owl; doubtless the latter would be preferable, though I have never tried
+it. With a poorly mounted Screech Owl, however, I have had some
+excellent opportunities to photograph. My plan is to select some spot
+where birds are numerous, preferably near the home of a Catbird,^{19}
+place the Owl in a conspicuous position, and erect near it a “scolding
+perch,” from which the protesting bird may conveniently vituperate the
+poor unoffending little bunch of feathers with its staring yellow eyes.
+The camera is then focused on the scolding perch and the photographer
+retires into the undergrowth, and, bulb in hand, waits for some bird to
+take the desired stand.
+
+A Catbird’s domain is chosen for the reason that this species is the
+alarmist of whatever neighborhood it may inhabit, and once its attention
+has been attracted to the Owl by “squeaking” or uttering the alarm notes
+of other birds, the photographer may subside and let the Catbird do the
+rest.
+
+The bird’s rage is remarkable, its fear painful. Should the Owl be near
+to the Catbird’s nest it will utter notes in a tone of voice I have
+never heard it use on other occasions. It loses all fear of the camera,
+and from the scolding perch screams at the Owl with a vehemence which
+threatens to crack its throat. One is glad to remove the offending
+cause.
+
+Other birds in the vicinity are of course attracted, and hasten to learn
+the meaning of the uproar. Often a bit of undergrowth, of which the
+Catbird was apparently the only feathered tenant, will be found to
+possess a large bird population. It is interesting to observe the
+difference in the actions of various birds as they learn the reason of
+the disturbance. On the whole, each species displays its characteristic
+disposition in a somewhat accentuated manner. The Blue-winged Warblers
+flit to and fro for a few moments and then are gone; the Chestnut-sided
+Warbler is quite anxious; the Maryland Yellow-throat somewhat annoyed;
+the Ovenbird decidedly concerned; the Towhee bustles about, but seems to
+pay no especial attention to the Owl; the Wood Thrush utters its sharp
+_pit-pit_, but is content to let well enough alone if its own nest be
+not threatened; and the Yellow-throated, Red-eyed, and White-eyed
+Vireos, particularly the latter, add their complaining notes to the
+chorus of protests. Not one, however, approaches the Catbird in the
+force of its remarks, nor does the bird cease to outcry so long as the
+Owl is visible.
+
+
+It is felt that in the foregoing suggestions the methods which may be
+employed by the bird photographer are very inadequately described, but,
+as was remarked in the preface of this volume, the constantly varying
+circumstances attending his work practically prohibit duplication of
+experience.
+
+In truth, herein lies the great charm of animal photography. We have not
+to follow certain formulæ, but each subject presents its own individual
+requirements, making the demands on the naturalist’s skill and patience
+limitless and success proportionately valuable.
+
+
+
+
+                       BIRD STUDIES WITH A CAMERA
+
+
+                    BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY BEGINS AT HOME
+
+The influence exerted by the camera in creating new values for the bird
+student is perhaps nowhere more evident than in the immediate vicinity
+of one’s home. Even the view from our windows possesses fresh
+significance as we speculate on the probability of securing a desirable
+picture from this or that point of vantage, while birds to which long
+familiarity has partially dimmed our vision now become possible subjects
+for our camera, and we find ourselves observing their movements with an
+alertness before unknown.
+
+In my own case, I have learned almost to tolerate the House Sparrows,
+with which I have been at war as long as memory serves me, for the
+pleasure found in attempting to outwit these shrewd, independent,
+impudent rats among birds; and, on closer acquaintance, they prove such
+interesting subjects for study that, if their vocal ability equaled
+their intelligence, they might be as generally liked as they are hated.
+So much for the magic of a sweet voice. As it is, they possess a greater
+variety of notes than they are generally credited with, and their
+conversational powers undoubtedly exceed those of many accomplished
+singers. In addition to the insistent, reiterated _chissick, chissick_,
+which constitutes the song of the male, one soon learns to recognize
+calls of warning, alarm, flight, battle, and the soft whistle which the
+bird utters when it approaches its nest—the only musical note in its
+vocabulary.
+
+[Illustration: 20. House Sparrows and Junco.]
+
+Quick to notice the slightest deviation from normal conditions, House
+Sparrows are difficult birds to photograph. They seem to be constantly
+on the watch for some sign of danger, and an unusual arrangement of
+blind or shade at once arouses their suspicions. After a heavy fall of
+snow, however, hunger dulls the edge of their fears, and by scattering
+food near a suitable window the birds may be decoyed within
+photographing distance.^{20} It will be found necessary, even then, to
+conceal the camera, which they evidently distinguish from familiar
+pieces of furniture and regard with alarm.
+
+This, too, is the best time to secure pictures of Juncos,^{21}
+Chickadees, Nuthatches, Downy Woodpeckers, Blue Jays, and less common
+winter birds. The four last named are rarely or never seen about my home
+in winter. Doubtless the abundant and surrounding woodlands afford them
+a more congenial haunt, from which they are not to be enticed by suet,
+bones, or grain; or, more likely still, the custom of putting out food
+for birds is so unusual in the region about New York city that they have
+not yet learned to expect it. It is a most pleasing surprise to the
+resident of this section to observe the numbers and familiarity of
+winter birds in the environs of Boston, where a feast seems spread for
+them in nearly every dooryard.
+
+[Illustration: 21. Junco. × 3.]
+
+[Illustration: 22. Female House Sparrow and nest. × 3.]
+
+To return to the Sparrow. The bird’s nest also provides a focal point
+for the camera, but, as elsewhere, the greatest precautions must be
+taken, and I have succeeded in securing a picture only when some
+advantageously situated window afforded a natural blind. One of the
+pictures thus obtained shows a nest in the ornamental part of a gutter,
+with the female looking from an adjoining opening.^{22} This gutter
+seems especially designed to furnish lodgings for Sparrows, and no
+argument that I have thus far advanced has convinced them that it was
+not erected for their use. During the early part of their occupancy, a
+rap on their roof promptly brought them out to perch in the branches of
+the neighboring trees, where their chattering protest was soon
+interrupted by a gunshot; but the survivors quickly learned the meaning
+of the roof tap, and now, without a moment’s pause, they dive downward
+from their doorway and fly out of range at topmost speed.
+
+[Illustration: 23. Screech Owl. × 3.]
+
+More welcome tenants than the House Sparrows are a pair of Screech Owls,
+who for years have reared their broods in a dovecotelike gable, where
+they are beyond the reach of nest robbers of all kinds. During the
+winter they apparently are absent, nor indeed are they seen until June,
+when, each evening at sundown, one of the pair, probably the male, takes
+his post at the entrance to its home and gives utterance to the crooning
+refrain which sometimes follows the so-called tremulous “screech.” But
+the latter I never hear at this season. In spite of the poor light
+prevailing at this hour, the bird’s stillness has tempted repeated
+trials to secure its picture, and the most successful, made with a
+fourteen-inch lens and an exposure of fifteen seconds, is here
+shown.^{23} Telephotos have thus far been underexposed.
+
+As a means of making the exposure as soon as possible after the Owl
+appeared, I have on a number of occasions placed my camera in position,
+focused and otherwise made ready some minutes before he was expected,
+and I recall with amusement the incredulity of a friend whose surprise
+at seeing me point my camera skyward without ostensible purpose was in
+no way lessened when I told him that I had an appointment with an Owl,
+who was to take his stand shortly in the hole toward which the camera
+was directed; and fortunately the bird was on time!
+
+From the perch, some forty feet aloft, the grave little creature surveys
+the scene below with an expression of combined wisdom and thoughtfulness
+which makes a laugh seem wanton foolishness. At the border of dusk and
+dark he flies out to feed, often descending to the ground and remaining
+there for some moments while catching insects. Occasionally he takes his
+prey from the tree trunks, perhaps a cicada struggling from its shell,
+and on several occasions I have thought he captured food on the wing.
+Sometimes the supper hunt leads him to the edge of the croquet lawn,
+where from the earth or the back of a garden bench he becomes an
+interested spectator of the last game. When the young appear, later in
+the month, the evergreens seem alive with Owls, who flit about and utter
+querulous little calls difficult of description. Toward the end of July,
+doubtless after the molt is completed, presumably the adults—for never
+more than two are heard—begin to sing; and this habit of post-nuptial
+singing seems not to be confined to the Screech Owl, for about this time
+the deep-toned, resounding notes of the Barred Owl come up from the
+woods. Throughout August and September the wailing whistle, which is
+ever welcome for its spirit of wildness, is heard nightly, and as the
+plaintive notes tremble on the hushed air we invariably say, “Hark,
+there’s the Owl!”
+
+My experience as bird photographer about home, I must admit, has
+consisted chiefly in a series of encouraging failures which have borne
+no tangible results. Let us hope, however, that the few pictures here
+presented will prove as suggestive to the reader as they are to their
+maker, who, although he offers such inadequate proof in support of his
+belief, is far too well convinced of the possibilities of home
+photography to go afield without saying at least a word in its behalf.
+
+
+
+
+                             THE CHICKADEE
+                      _A Study in Black and White_
+
+
+Very early in my experience as a hunter I became acquainted with a small
+black-and-white bird, who not only announced himself with unmistakable
+distinctness, but did so at such close range that one could form a very
+clear idea of his appearance; and thus because of his notes and
+trustfulness I learned to know the Chickadee by name years before I was
+aware that the woods were tenanted by dozens of other more common but
+less fearless birds.
+
+With regret for the universality of the instinct, I found that to see
+was to desire. I had felt exactly the same longing in regard to other
+birds, and had thrown many a stone in a fruitless effort to get
+possession of the half-mysterious wild creatures which always eluded me;
+but the Chickadee came within range of my bean-shooter and soon paid the
+penalty of misplaced confidence. The little ball of flesh and fluffy
+feathers was perfectly useless, so after a day or two, the length of
+time depending on the temperature, it was thrown away.
+
+My curiosity concerning the Chickadee being satisfied, and the bird’s
+tameness making it too easy a mark even for a bean-shooter, I entered on
+a new phase of Chickadee relations. Strangely enough, the killing of the
+bird seemed, from my point of view, to constitute an introduction to a
+creature which before I had known only imperfectly, and my acquaintance
+with the Chickadee may be said to have begun when I picked up the first
+bird that fell before my aim. However the Chickadee may have regarded my
+somewhat questionable manner of gaining his friendship, he has since
+given unmistakable evidences of his approval of my treatment of his
+kind. He always replies to my greeting, often coming many yards in
+answer to my call, and on a number of occasions he has honored me above
+most men by alighting on my hand.
+
+When, in more recent years, the gun which succeeded the bean-shooter was
+in turn replaced by a camera, I found that the Chickadee’s tameness made
+him a mark for my later as he had been for my earlier efforts in bird
+hunting. Now, however, I believe I may speak for him as well as for
+myself, and say that the results obtained are more satisfactory to us
+both. It was in Central Park, New York city, in February, 1899, that I
+went on one of my first Chickadee hunts with a camera. Incidentally the
+locality gave emphasis to the advantages of the camera over any other
+weapon. Imagine the surprise of the park police had I ventured on their
+precincts with a gun on my shoulder! But with a camera I could snap away
+at pleasure without any one’s being the wiser—many of my “snaps,” I
+confess being attended by exactly this result. At this time, through the
+efforts of an enthusiastic and patient bird lover, who had improved on
+the bird-catching legend by using nuts instead of “salt” and by
+substituting bill for “tail,” three Chickadees in the Ramble had become
+so remarkably tame that they would often flutter before one’s face and
+plainly give expression to their desire for food, which they took from
+one’s hand without the slightest evidence of fear. Sometimes they even
+remained to pick the nut from a shell while perched on one’s finger,
+anon casting questioning glances at their host; but more often they
+preferred a perch where they could give their entire attention to the
+nut which was held between their feet, and pecked at after the manner of
+Blue Jays.
+
+[Illustration: 24. Chickadee on ground.]
+
+In spite of the ease with which one could approach these Chickadees,
+they made difficult marks for the camera. I was armed with a “Henry
+Clay” 5 × 7 and a twin-lens camera of the same size, but so active were
+the little creatures that not one of many exposures proved to be
+perfectly focused. Finally I tried decoying the birds to a bone or bit
+of bread in the bushes, but somehow they did not succeed in discovering
+these baits until they were placed on the ground.^{24, 25} Then they
+responded so quickly that often the bread had disappeared while my head
+was concealed by the dark-cloth, and frequently, while focusing, the
+birds would alight on the tripod of the camera. I was forced, therefore,
+to focus on a stone, and, when ready to make the exposure, lay a bit of
+bread on or near the focal point, the two pictures given being thus
+obtained.
+
+[Illustration: 25. Chickadee taking piece of bread.]
+
+Various experiences with these unusually tame birds finally led to what
+at first thought would have been considered the wholly unreasonable
+ambition of photographing one of them in my hand. The camera was
+therefore erected at a suitable point and focused on the trunk of a
+tree, the shutter set, and slide drawn.
+
+[Illustration: 26. A bird in the hand.]
+
+Now to get the bird. None was in the immediate vicinity, but a whistle
+soon brought a response from some neighboring tree tops, and going
+beneath them I shortly had called the bird down to a nut in my palm, and
+with him on my finger started to walk the eighty or more feet to the
+camera. This, however, was asking too much, and the bird abandoned his
+moving perch for a bordering row of evergreens, from which one or two
+more trials brought him within a short distance of the desired spot, and
+resting my arm against the tree trunk and with the other hand on the
+trigger of the shutter I called again the two plaintive notes. The
+bird’s faith was still strong. Almost immediately he took the desired
+position, when a _click_ announced the realization of a bird
+photographer’s wildest dream.
+
+
+Fortunate is the bird photographer who discovers an advantageously
+situated Chickadee’s nest. Dr. Robert’s charming description in
+Bird-Lore of his experience with a family of Chickadees stimulated my
+desire to make a camera study of this species. The first nest found,
+however, was claimed by a band of roving boys, who in pure wantonness
+pushed down the stub from which a few days later the young would have
+issued.
+
+A second time I was more fortunate. It was on the morning of May 29,
+1899, at Englewood, N. J., that in going through a young second growth I
+chanced to see a Chickadee, who in arranging her much-worn plumage gave
+unmistakable evidence of having recently left her nest. At once I looked
+about for a partly decayed white birch, a tree especially suited to the
+Chickadee’s powers and needs. The bark remains tough and leathery long
+after the interior is crumbling, and having penetrated the outer shell
+the Chickadee finds no difficulty in excavating a chamber within.
+
+A few moments’ search revealed a stub so typical as to match exactly the
+image I held in my mind’s eye, with an opening about four feet from the
+ground. The interior was too gloomy to enable one to determine its
+contents, but, returning in half an hour, I tapped the stub lightly,
+when, as though I had released the spring of a Jack-in-a-box, a
+Chickadee popped out of the opening and into a neighboring tree. I
+wished her good morning, assured her that my intentions were of the
+best, and promised to return and secure her portrait at the first
+opportunity.
+
+Four days later I set up my camera before the door to the Chickadee’s
+dwelling, and, without attempting to conceal it, attached thread to the
+shutter and retreated in the undergrowth to a distance of about
+twenty-five feet.
+
+After having had most discouraging experiences with several birds, who
+had evidently regarded the camera as a monster of destruction, and had
+refused to return to their nests as long as the evil eye of the lens was
+on them, it was consoling to find a bird who had some degree of
+confidence in human nature as represented by photographic apparatus.
+
+It is true that the female—and throughout this description I assume that
+the bird with much-worn plumage was of this sex—promptly left the stub
+at my approach; but when I retired to the undergrowth there was no
+tiresome wait of hours while the bird, flitting from bush to bush,
+chirped suspiciously, but almost immediately she returned to her
+home.^{27} The camera was examined, but clearly not considered
+dangerous, its tripod sometimes serving as a step to the nest entrance.
+The click of the shutter, however, when an exposure was made as the bird
+was about to enter its dwelling, caused some alarm, and she flew back to
+a neighboring tree, and for some time hopped restlessly from limb to
+limb.
+
+The male, who had previously kept in the background, now approached,
+and, as if to soothe his troubled mate, thoughtfully gave her a
+caterpillar. She welcomed him with a gentle, tremulous fluttering of the
+wings—a motion similar to that made by young birds when begging for
+food. He, however, made what appeared to be precisely the same movements
+when she perched beside him.
+
+[Illustration: 27. Chickadee at nest hole.]
+
+It was not long before the female became so accustomed to the snap of
+the shutter that in order to prevent her from entering the nest I was
+forced to rush out from my hiding place; but at last, apparently
+becoming desperate, she succeeded in returning to her eggs in spite of
+my best efforts to prevent her.
+
+There now ensued a very interesting change in the bird’s action. It will
+be remembered that at first she had left the nest on hearing me
+approach, while a light tap brought her through the opening with
+startling promptness. But now, evidently realizing that a return to her
+duties of incubation could be made only at great risk, she determined
+under no conditions to leave her eggs. In vain I rapped at her door and
+shook her dwelling to its foundations; no bird appeared, and not
+believing it possible that under the circumstances she would remain
+within the stub, I felt that she must have left without my knowledge,
+and therefore retired to await her reappearance.
+
+[Illustration: 28. Chickadee at nest hole.]
+
+At the end of several minutes the male, with food in his bill, advanced
+cautiously, and clinging to the rim of the nest opening, hung there a
+moment and departed minus the food. This was surprising. Could there be
+young in the nest? or was the bird, in imitation of the Hornbill,
+feeding his imprisoned mate? I rapped again, and this time, perhaps
+taken unawares, the female answered my question by appearing.
+
+On June 3d a family arrived in the Chickadee villa, and both birds were
+found actively engaged in administering to its wants.
+
+As a return for the inconvenience to which they had been subjected, a
+perch was erected by way of a step at their door. The female was
+appreciative and at once availed herself of this means of entering her
+home.^{28} The male, however, as before, was more wary. He had braved
+the camera to bring food to his mate, but his offspring had apparently
+not so strong a claim upon him. He would fly off in search of food and
+shortly return with a caterpillar, then perch quietly for several
+minutes a few yards from the nest, when, repelled by the camera and
+attracted by the food in his bill, he yielded to temptation, devoured
+the caterpillar, vigorously wiped his bill, at once started to forage
+for more food, and returned with it only to repeat his previous
+performance.
+
+Occasionally he uttered a low whistle, addressed presumably to the
+female, and at times a _chickadee-dee-dee_, which I interpreted as a
+protest to me, and both notes were also uttered by the female.
+
+The latter took so kindly to the doorstep that it was determined to give
+her a door, and to this end a leaf was pinned over the entrance to her
+home in such a manner that it swung to and fro, like the latch to a
+keyhole. This clearly did not meet with her approval, and at first she
+seemed puzzled to account for the apparent disappearance of the nest
+opening. But in less than a minute she solved the mystery, pushed the
+leaf to one side, and disappeared within.
+
+Returning to the nest on June 12th, nothing was to be seen of either
+parent, and I feared that they or their offspring had fallen victims to
+the countless dangers which beset nesting birds and their young. Looking
+about for some clew to their fate, I found on the ground, near the nest
+stub, the worn tail-feathers of the female bird. The molting season had
+not yet arrived, nor would she have shed all these feathers at the same
+moment. There could therefore be only one interpretation of their
+presence. Some foe—probably a Sharp-shinned or Cooper’s Hawk, since the
+predaceous mammals for the most part hunt at night, when the Chickadee
+would be snugly sleeping in her nest—had made a dash and grasped her by
+the tail, which she had sacrificed in escaping. A moment later the
+theory was supported by the appearance of a subdued-looking Chickadee,
+_sans_ tail, and I congratulated her on her fortunate exchange of life
+for a member which of late had not been very decorative, and of which,
+in any event, Nature would have soon deprived her.
+
+The young proved to be nearly ready to fly, and, carefully removing the
+front of their log cabin, a sight was disclosed such as mortal probably
+never beheld before and Chickadee but rarely.
+
+Six black-and-white heads were raised and six yellow-lined mouths opened
+in expressive appeal for food. But this was not all; there was another
+layer of Chickadees below—how many it was impossible to say without
+disentangling a wad of birds so compact that the outlines of no one bird
+could be distinguished. A piazza, as it were, was built at the
+Chickadees’ threshold in the shape of a perch of proper size, and
+beneath, as a life net, was spread a piece of mosquito bar. Then I
+proceeded to individualize the ball of feathers; one, two, three, to
+seven were counted without undue surprise, but when an eighth and ninth
+were added, I marveled at the energy which had supplied so many mouths
+with food, and at the same time wondered how many caterpillars had been
+devoured by this one family of birds.
+
+Not less remarkable than the number of young—and no book that I have
+consulted records so large a brood—was their condition. Not only did
+they all appear lusty, but they seemed to be about equally developed,
+the slight difference in strength and size which existed being easily
+attributable to a difference in age, some interval doubtless having
+elapsed between the hatching of the first and last egg.
+
+[Illustration: 29. A Chickadee family.]
+
+This fact would have been of interest had the birds inhabited an open
+nest, or a nest large enough for them all to have had an equal
+opportunity to receive food; but where only two thirds of their number
+could be seen from above at once, and where a very little neglect would
+have resulted fatally, it seems remarkable that one or more, failing to
+receive his share of food, had not been weakened in consequence and
+crushed to death by more fortunate members of the brood. Nor was their
+physical condition the only surprising thing about the members of this
+Chickadee family: each individual was as clean as though he had been
+reared in a nest alone, and an examination of the nest showed that it
+would have been passed as perfect by the most scrupulous sanitary
+inspector. It was composed of firmly padded rabbit’s fur, and, except
+for the sheaths worn off the growing feathers of the young birds, was
+absolutely clean. Later, I observed that the excreta of the young were
+inclosed in membranous sacs, which enabled the parents to readily remove
+them from the nest.
+
+[Illustration: 30. A Chickadee family.]
+
+The last bird having been placed in the net, I attempted to pose them in
+a row on the perch before their door. The task reminded me of almost
+forgotten efforts at building card houses, which, when nearly completed,
+would be brought to ruin by an ill-placed card. How many times each
+Chickadee tumbled or fluttered from his perch I can not say. The soft,
+elastic net, spread beneath them, preserved them from injury, and bird
+after bird was returned to his place so little worse for his fall that
+he was quite ready to try it again. Finally, eight birds were induced to
+take the positions assigned them; then, in assisting the ninth to his
+allotted place, the balance of a bird on either side would be disturbed,
+and down into the net they would go.
+
+These difficulties, however, could be overcome, but not so the failure
+of the light at the critical time, making it necessary to expose with a
+wide open lens at the loss of a depth of focus.
+
+The picture presented, therefore, does not do the subject justice. Nor
+can it tell of the pleasure with which each fledgeling for the first
+time stretched its wings and legs to their full extent, and preened its
+plumage with before unknown freedom.
+
+At the same time they uttered a satisfied little _dee-dee-dee_, in
+quaint imitation of their elders. When I whistled their well-known
+_phe-be_ note, they were at once on the alert, and evidently expected to
+be fed.
+
+The birds were within two or three days of leaving the nest, and, the
+sitting over, the problem came of returning the flock to a cavity barely
+two inches in diameter, the bottom of which was almost filled by one
+bird.
+
+I at once confess a failure to restore anything like the condition in
+which they were found, and when the front of their dwelling was
+replaced, Chickadees were overflowing at the door. If their
+healthfulness had not belied the thought, I should have supposed it
+impossible for them to exist in such close quarters.
+
+A few days later their home was deserted, and, as no other Chickadees
+were known to nest in the vicinity, I imagine them to compose a troop of
+birds which is sometimes found in the neighborhood.
+
+
+
+
+           THE LEAST BITTERN AND SOME OTHER REED INHABITANTS
+
+
+My experience with the Least Bittern leaves the eerie little creature a
+half-solved mystery, and I think of it less as a bird than as a survivor
+of a former geological period, when birds still showed traits of their
+not distant reptilian ancestors.
+
+The Bittern’s home is in fresh-water, cat-tail marshes, and he wanders
+at will through the thickly set forest of reeds without of necessity
+putting foot to the water below or flapping wing in the air above. His
+peculiar mode of progression constitutes one of his chief
+characteristics. The reeds in which he lives generally grow in several
+feet of water, far too deep, therefore, to permit of his wading; while
+his secretive disposition makes him averse to appearing in the open,
+except after nightfall. It is impossible to fly through the cat-tails,
+and so the bird walks and even runs through them, stepping from stem to
+stem with surprising agility. I had heard of this habit, but the
+description conveyed as little idea of the bird’s appearance as it is
+feared this one will, and when for the first time a Least Bittern was
+seen striding off through the reeds about three feet above the water,
+the performance was so entirely unlike anything I had ever seen a bird
+do before, I marveled that his acrobatic powers had not made him famous.
+
+The feathered gymnast’s slender body—or perhaps one should say neck, for
+the bird is chiefly neck and head—seemed to be mounted on long stilts,
+with the aid of which he waded rapidly through the water, his head
+shooting in and out at each stride.
+
+The Least Bittern’s notes appear to be less known than his habits.
+Nuttall, that exceptionally keen-eared bird student, was familiar with
+them, but most writers have restricted themselves to the statement that,
+when flushed, the bird utters a low _qua_, while some have even said he
+was voiceless.
+
+I should not be in the least surprised to learn that this uncanny
+inhabitant of the reeds had a call fully as remarkable as the vocal
+performance of his large relative, the American Bittern, but thus far in
+my slight acquaintance with him he has been heard to utter only four
+notes: A soft, low _coo_, slowly repeated five or six times, and which
+is probably the love song of the male; an explosive alarm note, _quoh_;
+a hissing _hah_, with which the bird threatens a disturber of its nest;
+and a low _tut-tut-tut_, apparently a protest against the same kind of
+intrusion.
+
+[Illustration: 31. Least Bittern’s nesting site, showing reeds bent over
+nest. One of four eggs can be seen.]
+
+It was the markedly dovelike _coo_ which first introduced me to this
+species. With William Brewster I was at the Fresh Pond marshes,
+listening for the repetition of some strange calls which had excited the
+curiosity of Cambridge ornithologists, and which proved to belong to a
+Florida Gallinule,[B] when we heard the soft notes of a Least Bittern,
+who soon rose from the marsh near by. A few days later the Bittern was
+found in full song—if the _coo_ be its song—in the marshes of Presque
+Isle in Erie Bay; but it must be confessed that a desire to secure
+specimens of this, to me, strange bird left no opportunity to study its
+habits, and the species was not again observed until June, 1898, in the
+northern part of Cayuga County, New York. Here, under the guidance of an
+observing local ornithologist, Mr. E. G. Tabor, an encounter was had
+with a Least Bittern which made a unique page in my experience as a bird
+student.
+
+Footnote B:
+
+  See Brewster, Auk, vol. viii, 1891, p. 1.
+
+It was on the border of Otter Lake, where the Least Bitterns nest in
+small numbers in low bushes, or a mass of drift, or more often in the
+fringe of cat-tails. The trail of a boat through the reeds and empty
+nests, which before had held from three to five eggs, marked the
+ill-directed work of the boy oölogists whose misspent zeal has resulted
+in such a vast accumulation of eggshells and such an absence of
+information about the birds that laid them. A visit to a more distant
+part of the lake, where even thus early in the year the cat-tails were
+five feet above water of over half that depth, saved the day, as far as
+Least Bitterns were concerned. Paddling close to the reeds, a practiced
+eye could distinguish the site of a Bittern’s nest, when the nest itself
+was invisible, by the bowed tips of the reeds which the bird invariably
+bends over it.^{31} The object of this habit is perhaps to aid in
+concealing the eggs from an enemy passing overhead—a Crow, for
+example—an attack by boat evidently not being taken into consideration.
+
+Certainly our appearance was in the nature of a surprise to a pair of
+birds who had just completed their platformlike nest and were apparently
+discussing future steps in their domestic affairs.
+
+[Illustration: 32. Least Bittern’s nest; reeds parted to show eggs.]
+
+As we approached, the female, who even before the eggs are laid seems to
+have the home love more strongly developed than the male, bravely stuck
+to her post, while the male marched off through the reeds in the manner
+which has been described as so remarkable. When he paused, with either
+foot grasping reeds several inches apart or clung to a single stalk with
+both feet, he resembled a gigantic, tailless Marsh Wren.
+
+[Illustration: 33. Least Bittern on nest mimicking its surroundings.]
+
+The actions of the female were interesting in the extreme. Her first
+move was an attempt at concealment through protective mimicry—a rare
+device among birds. Stretching her neck to the utmost, she pointed her
+bill to the zenith, the brownish marks on the feathers of the throat
+became lines which, separated by the white spaces between them, might
+easily have passed for dried reeds, and the bird’s statuelike pose, when
+almost within reach, evinced her belief in her own invisibility.^{33,
+34}
+
+The pose recalled Hudson’s experience with a wounded Least Bittern
+(_Ardetta involucris_, a near relative of our bird) in the marshes of La
+Plata, where a bird at his feet, in the same position as the one before
+me, was discovered only after careful search, and which, to the
+naturalist’s amazement, slowly revolved as he walked around it, with the
+presumable object of keeping its protectively colored breast turned
+toward him.
+
+[Illustration: 34. Least Bittern on nest mimicking its surroundings.]
+
+My bird, however, was among fresh reeds, and while one can not doubt the
+effectiveness of its attitude and color, when seen among dead reeds or
+grasses, neither were of value among its green surroundings.
+
+With the light on the wrong side and the reeds swaying violently in the
+wind, we essayed to picture the bird, and the best of several attempts
+made under these adverse conditions are here given.
+
+Covering my hand with my cap I held it toward her, when, convinced that
+her little trick had failed, she adopted new tactics, and struck at me
+with force and rapidity, which made me thankful that my hand was
+protected. Her bright yellow eyes glared with the intensity of a
+snake’s, and her reptilelike appearance was increased by the length and
+slenderness of her head and neck. Her courage was admirable; she not
+only displayed no fear, but was actually aggressive, and with a hissing
+_hah_ struck viciously at my hand each time it was placed near the nest.
+As I quickly retreated on each occasion, and at length made no further
+move toward her, she decided to withdraw, perhaps to join her cautious
+mate, who from the reeds had been uttering a warning _tut-tut-tut_ at
+intervals. Very slowly and watchfully she left the nest, and when she
+had advanced a few feet through the reeds I again ventured to touch her
+platform home, putting my hand, however, under it; but the motion
+instantly attracted her attention, and, darting back to her post, she
+was on guard in a moment. Then I left her, retiring from the field
+fairly vanquished in my first hand-to-bill encounter with a wild bird. I
+hope she laid a full complement of five eggs and from them reared five
+birds worthy representatives of their mother.
+
+
+A desire to renew my acquaintance with—or perhaps I should say advances
+toward—this unbirdlike feathered biped, and to meet it under conditions
+more favorable for the camera hunter, brought me the following year
+(June 17, 1899), to the Montezuma marshes at the head of Cayuga Lake.
+Here are endless forests of cat-tails in which dwell not only Bitterns,
+Long-billed Marsh Wrens, and Red-winged Blackbirds, but also numbers of
+Pied-billed Grebes and Florida Gallinules.
+
+There is a mystery about a marsh akin to that which impresses one in a
+primeval forest. The possibilities of both seem limitless. One hears so
+much and sees so little. Birds calling from a distance of only a few
+yards may remain long unidentified. A rustling in the reeds arouses
+vague expectations.
+
+The notes of marsh-inhabiting birds are in keeping with the character of
+their haunts. They are distinctly wild and strange, and often thrilling.
+The Rails, for example, all have singular, loud, startling calls. The
+American Bittern is a famous marsh songster, but although several of his
+common names are based on his calls, it is only recently that he has
+actually been seen uttering them. The Gallinule resembles the hen in the
+character, volume, and variety of its notes, and to it and not the
+Clapper Rail should be given the name “Marsh Hen.” Indeed, its European
+relative, from which it can scarcely be distinguished, is known as the
+Moor Hen or Water Hen.
+
+But of all this marsh music none to my ear is more singular than the
+call of the Pied-billed Grebe. It is mentioned in few books, and has won
+the bird no such fame as the Loon’s maniacal laughter has brought him,
+though as a vocalist the Grebe fairly rivals his large cousin. Like most
+bird calls it is indescribable, but perhaps sufficient idea of its
+character may be given to lead to its identification when heard. It is
+very loud and sonorous, with a cuckoolike quality, and may be written
+_cow-cow-cow-cow-cow-cow-cow-cow-cow-uh, cow-uh, cow-uh, cow-uh_. These
+notes vary in number, and are sometimes followed by prolonged wailing
+_cows_ or _ohs_ almost human in their expressiveness of pain, fear, and
+anguish.
+
+This is the love song of the male, and when he has won a mate she joins
+him in singing, uttering, as he calls, a rapid _cuk-cuk-cuk_, followed
+by a slower _ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh_.
+
+The Gallinules were cackling in the reeds, where a nest with three
+hatching eggs was found, but not a bird was seen. Red-winged Blackbirds
+were chattering with excitement as they guided the first wing strokes of
+their young, who perched on the reeds begged eloquently for food rather
+than for lessons in flying.^{35}
+
+[Illustration: 35. Young Red-winged Blackbirds.]
+
+In a small island of cat-tails a pair of Grebes was calling, and after
+the most careful stalking my companion saw the female respond to the
+voice of her mate.
+
+It was in this island—if a patch of cat-tails growing in three feet of
+water can be called an island—that we found the first two of numerous
+Least Bitterns’ nests, and here our camera studies were made. These
+nests were typical in form and site; one contained five and the other
+four^{32} eggs, from which the birds had apparently departed as we
+pushed our boat toward them.
+
+Less than twenty minutes later we again passed these nests and found, to
+our surprise, that in one all four, and in the other two eggs had been
+punctured, as if by an awl. Here was a mystery which my companion, who
+was examining the second nest while I was studying the first, quickly
+solved by seeing a Long-billed Marsh Wren actually make an attack on the
+remaining three eggs, and a little later a bird of the same
+species—perhaps the same individual, since the Bitterns’ nests were not
+more than twenty yards apart—visited the first nest to complete its work
+on the five already ruined eggs.
+
+Our attempt to photograph the energetic little marauder failed, nor did
+we succeed in learning the real cause of its remarkable destructiveness.
+However, the fact that in one nest alone it drove its needlelike bill
+into all five eggs without pausing to feast on their contents, would
+imply that it was not prompted by hunger, and, much against our will, we
+were forced to attribute the bird’s actions to pure viciousness; though,
+it is true, there may have been another side to the story, in which the
+Bittern was the culprit.
+
+The owners of the four eggs did not return while we were present, and
+the following day we found their nest empty—a mute protest against fate.
+
+[Illustration: 36. Least Bittern eating her eggs.]
+
+The female of the second nest discovered, in which only two of the five
+eggs had been injured, proved to be a bird of character.
+
+[Illustration: 37. Least Bittern on nest.]
+
+While we waited in our boats at a distance of fifteen feet, and with
+cameras erected on tripods at a third of the distance, she came walking
+through the reeds uttering occasionally an explosive _quoh!_ After
+circling about us several times she climbed to her nest, and at once
+proceeded to investigate the condition of its contents. Soon she gave
+evidence of the possession of both a philosophic and economic
+disposition, not to mention other housewifely qualities, notably
+cleanliness. Philosophy she exhibited by making the best of things as
+she found them; economy by carefully eating^{36} the two broken eggs,
+which a more thoughtless bird would have deserted or quickly discarded;
+and cleanliness by carefully dropping over the edge of the nest the
+shells remaining from her peculiar feast, and following them by bits of
+nest lining which had been soiled by portions of the egg. This task
+accomplished to her satisfaction, she gave further evidence of the
+possession of a well-ordered mind by descending to the water, washing
+her bill, drinking, and then returning to her remaining three eggs, on
+which she settled herself^{37} as complacently as though she had met
+with no loss, and there we left her in well-deserved privacy.
+
+
+
+
+                               TWO HERONS
+
+
+In this age of death and destruction to all living creatures, which,
+because of their size or edible qualities, the so-called sportsman is
+proud to exhibit as evidence of his skill afield, it is remarkable that
+there should exist within twenty odd miles of New York’s City Hall a
+colony of Herons which would do credit to the most remote swamp of
+Florida.
+
+Three factors have combined to render this rookery possible: first, its
+isolation; second, the habits of its occupants; and third, the
+protection which is afforded it by the owner of the land on which it is
+situated. Of these, the first is by far the most important, and I may be
+pardoned, therefore, if I do not betray the birds’ secret; for, much as
+I desire to encourage American industries, I must on this occasion
+withhold information of undoubted value to the feather trade.
+
+The birds’ habits contribute toward their preservation, because they are
+largely nocturnal, “Night” being the specific name applied by the
+text-books to this particular kind of Heron; but to those who know him
+in nature, he is generally spoken of as “Quawk,” this being an excellent
+rendering of his common call.
+
+The Night Heron or Quawk belongs among the birds for whom the setting
+sun marks the beginning of a new day—a fact which protects him from man
+and permits his existence in numbers where others of his family are
+rarely seen. Doubtless many of the residents of Heronville know their
+feathered neighbors only as a voice from the night, which comes to them
+when the birds, in passing over, utter their loud and startling call.
+
+Finally, to the protecting influences of a love for seclusion and
+darkness must be added the unusual position assumed by the proprietor of
+the land, who will not permit any one to kill the birds, and, stranger
+still, does not kill them himself!
+
+Thus it happens that any day in May or June, the months during which the
+Herons are at home, one may leave the crowded streets of New York and
+within an hour or so enter an equally crowded but quite different kind
+of town.
+
+If after leaving the train you secure the same guide it was my good
+fortune to have, your way will lead over shaded roads, pleasant fields,
+and quiet woodland paths, and, if the sun is well up in the trees, you
+may enter the outskirts of the rookery and be wholly unaware, unless you
+approach from the leeward, that between two and three thousand Herons
+are within a few hundred yards of you.
+
+One may gain a far better idea of Heron life, however, by visiting the
+rookery while the foliage is still glistening with dew. Then, from a
+distance, a chorus of croaks may be heard from the young birds as they
+receive what, in effect, is their supper. Old birds are still returning
+from fishing trips, and the froglike monotone of the young is broken by
+the sudden _quawks_ of their parents.
+
+The rookery is in a low part of the woods which evidently is flooded
+early in the year, a fact which may have influenced the Herons in their
+selection of the locality as a nesting site. At the time of our visit
+the swamp maples, in which the nests are placed, were densely undergrown
+with ferns, and as we approached the whitened vegetation, which clearly
+marked the limits of the rookery, a number of Herons with squawks of
+alarm left the vicinity of their nests, and soon the rookery was in an
+uproar. The common _quawk_ note was often heard, but many of the calls
+were distinctly galline in character and conveyed the impression that we
+had invaded a henroost.
+
+The trees in which the nests were placed are very tall and slender, mere
+poles some of them, with a single nest where the branches fork; while
+those more heavily limbed had four, five,^{38} and even six of the
+platforms of sticks, which with Herons serve as nests, but in only a
+single instance was one nest placed directly below another. A
+conservative count yielded a total of five hundred and twenty-five
+nests, all within a circle about one hundred yards in diameter, nearly
+every suitable tree holding one or more, the lowest being about thirty
+feet from the ground, the highest at least eighty feet above it.
+
+While the limy deposits and partially digested fish dropped by the birds
+seemed not to affect the growth of the lower vegetation, it had a marked
+influence on certain of the swamp maples, the development of the trees
+which held a number of nests being so retarded that, although it was
+June 13th, they were as yet only in blossom.^{38} The comparative
+absence of foliage permitted one to have a far better view of what was
+going on above than if the trees had been thickly leaved, and on
+entering the rookery our attention was at once attracted by the nearly
+grown Herons, who, old enough to leave the nest, had climbed out on the
+adjoining limbs. There, silhouetted against the sky, they crouched in
+family groups of two, three, and four.^{39}
+
+[Illustration: 38. Five Herons’ nests in swamp maple, at an average
+height of seventy feet. The upper right-hand nest with young shown in
+Nos. 41 and 42.]
+
+[Illustration: 39. A view in the Heron rookery, looking upward from the
+ground to nests and young, about eighty feet above.]
+
+Other broods, inhabitants of more thickly leaved trees, made known their
+presence above by disgorging a half-digested eel, which dropped with a
+thud at our feet and occasionally nearer, suggesting the advisability of
+carrying an umbrella. The vegetation beneath the well-populated trees
+was as white as though it had been liberally daubed with whitewash, and
+the ground was strewn with blue-green eggshells neatly broken in two
+across the middle; fish, principally eels, in various stages of
+digestion and decay; and the bodies of young birds who had met with an
+untimely death by falling from above. It was not altogether a savory
+place!
+
+[Illustration: 40. Black-crowned Night Herons feeding. Telephoto, × 2 at
+a distance of about one hundred and fifty feet.]
+
+Seating ourselves at the base of an unoccupied tree, we had not long to
+wait before the normal life of the rookery was resumed. The young, who
+while we were observed had been silent, now began to utter a singular,
+froglike _kik-kik-kik_ in chorus, and the old birds one by one returned.
+When food was brought an increased outcry was heard from the expectant
+youngsters about to be fed. At intervals a resounding _thump_ announced
+the fall of some too eager bird, but, in the cases which we
+investigated, the Heron, if fairly well grown, seemed to be little the
+worse for his tumble of from fifty to seventy feet, and with lowered
+head ran through the undergrowth with surprising quickness. With those
+which were younger, however, the mortality had evidently been great,
+and, seeing the dozens of dead birds on the ground beneath the nest
+trees from which they had fallen, one questioned whether this habit of
+nesting high in trees had not, for protective reasons, been recently
+acquired by a species the young of which would seem much more at home
+nearer the ground.
+
+[Illustration: 41. Young Night Herons in nest. Same as No. 42.]
+
+It was with a delightful sense of companionship with the birds that I
+observed them going and coming, feeding their young, or resting after
+the night’s labors, wholly undisturbed by my presence. Almost I seemed
+to be a guest of the rookery, and I longed for power to interpret the
+notes and actions of the birds so abundant about me.
+
+[Illustration: 42. Young Night Herons leaving nest. Nesting tree shown
+in No. 38.]
+
+So I should like to have passed the day with them, becoming for the time
+being a Heron myself; but the desire to picture the birds was stronger
+than the wish to be a Heron, and the situation was considered from the
+standpoint of the bird photographer.
+
+The rookery proved to be a difficult subject. No single view would
+convey an adequate idea of its appearance, and I therefore selected
+representative tree tops and photographed their nests and young birds. A
+visit to a neighboring pond resulted in securing, with the aid of a
+telephoto, a picture^{40} of two adult birds feeding well out of
+gunshot, and with the assistance of climbers I reached the upper
+branches of a tree some seventy feet in height containing five nests
+whose contents ranged from eggs to nearly grown young. With the
+ball-and-socket clamp the camera was fastened to favoring limbs, and
+after three hours’ work several satisfactory pictures of young in the
+nest and on the adjoining branches were secured.^{41–43} Although well
+able to defend themselves, the young assumed no such threatening
+attitudes as the American Bittern strikes when alarmed, from which
+perhaps we may argue that they are happily ignorant of the dangers which
+beset their ground-nesting relative.
+
+[Illustration: 43. Young Night Herons on branches near nest, seventy
+feet from the ground.]
+
+As the sun crept upward and the last fishers returned, the calls of both
+old and young birds were heard less and less often, and by ten o’clock
+night had fallen on the rookery and the birds were all resting quietly.
+Four o’clock in the afternoon was evidently early morning, and at this
+hour the birds first began to leave the rookery for their fishing
+grounds. Some went toward the north, others to the south, east or west;
+each bird no doubt having clearly in mind some favorite shore, perhaps a
+dozen miles away, where he before had had good luck a-fishing; and of
+all the varied phases of rookery life the thought of this regular
+nightly expedition of hundreds of winged fishers, is to me the most
+attractive.
+
+
+Our largest Heron as well as our largest bird is the Great Blue. “Crane”
+he is popularly called; but, aside from other differences, the bird’s
+habit of folding its neck back on its shoulders, when on the wing, will
+distinguish it from true Cranes, who fly with neck extended to the
+utmost.
+
+The Great Blue Heron is not edible, but its size makes it a desirable
+prize to most gunners and it is considered an especially fit mark for a
+rifle. The temptation is strong to condemn as an outlaw the man who
+kills one of these noble birds for what he terms sport, or perhaps for
+the purpose of what he would call having it “set up.” He, however, is
+acting according to his light, which is quite as bright as that which
+shines for most of his neighbors. The Heron is exceedingly wild, and its
+capture is eloquent evidence of the hunter’s prowess, while his desire
+to have its stuffed skin adorn his home is, from his point of view,
+positively commendable. That the bird is infinitely more valuable alive
+than dead, that its presence adds an element to the landscape more
+pleasing to some than could be imparted by any work of man, and that in
+depriving others of the privilege of observing its singularly stately
+grace of pose and motion he is selfish beyond expression, does not even
+vaguely occur to this so-called “sportsman,” who belongs in the class to
+whom a majestic cliff is a quarry, a noble tree, lumber. Until he has
+been educated to properly value the beauties of Nature, or at least
+realize the rights of others in them, he must be restrained by law, to
+the force of which even he is not blind.
+
+Only the Great Blue Heron’s extreme wariness and habit of frequenting
+shores and marshes where it can command an extended view of its
+surroundings has preserved it from extinction; but when nesting it is
+compelled to visit woodlands where its human enemies have better
+opportunities to approach it, and its only chance for safety during the
+breeding season is to select a retreat remote from the home of man. For
+this reason Great Blue Heron rookeries are exceedingly uncommon in more
+settled parts of the bird’s range, and north of Florida I have seen
+their nests in only one locality.
+
+It was the week after my visit to the Night Herons that, in northern
+Cayuga County, New York, I was led by a local ornithologist through one
+of the heaviest pieces of timber I have ever seen north of a primeval
+tropical forest, in search of a Great Blue Heron rookery which he knew
+to exist, and only my confidence in his woodsmanship gave me courage to
+follow him over fallen trees and through the season’s dense undergrowth,
+from which our passage raised such a host of mosquitoes that every step
+was a battle. If the vicious little insects had lived only to protect
+the Herons, they could not have disputed our progress more valiantly,
+and on reaching the birds’ stronghold, where the comparative absence of
+undergrowth deprived our winged foes of shelter, I congratulated myself
+on what, for the moment, seemed to be no insignificant feat.
+
+The eleven nests which my guide had seen on a previous occasion were
+found occupying their former positions, at least one hundred feet from
+the ground in dead trees, one of which held five of the eleven. During
+the many years which the birds have nested in the place their number has
+not varied, and one wonders what becomes of the from thirty to forty
+young who doubtless each year leave the parental trees. No other Herons
+of this species are known to nest in the vicinity, and it is not
+probable that the progeny of each year would seek a nesting site in some
+far distant rookery; consequently, as an alternative explanation, we can
+only suppose that the yearly product of the rookery balances its losses
+by death.
+
+The young birds were now nearly half grown, but, unlike the Night
+Herons, they did not venture outside their nests, from which they
+uttered harsh croaks in evident supplication to their parents for food.
+The sight of the trees in which the nests were placed effectually
+controlled whatever ambitions I had entertained toward camera studies at
+short range, and I contented myself by making telephotos from the
+ground, in one of which an adult bird and two nests, each with a young
+bird appearing above its edge, may be seen.^{44}
+
+Time was lacking in which to observe these birds, and the value of my
+visit to their retreat is not to be expressed in words. The wildness of
+their home seemed in perfect accord with their nature, and their
+apparent safety from intrusion brought a sense of satisfaction which
+colors my memory of the whole experience.
+
+[Illustration: 44. Looking upward from ground to nests and young and
+adult bird of Great Blue Heron at a height of over one hundred feet.
+Telephoto.]
+
+
+
+
+                          WHERE SWALLOWS ROOST
+
+
+Contributing little to the material wealth of the nation, the Hackensack
+marshes of northern New Jersey are usually regarded as “waste land.” By
+the farmer they are termed “salt medders,” and their waving grasses are
+of value to him only as “bedding” for cattle. In winter the muskrat
+hunter reaps a harvest of pelts there. The down of the “cat-tails” is
+gathered for cushion stuffing, and the bladed leaves for chair bottoms.
+To the gunner they are the resort of Ducks, Snipe, Rail, and Reedbirds,
+which each year visit them in decreasing numbers; while to the thousands
+who daily pass them on the encircling railroads they are barren and
+uninteresting. But if beauty is a sufficient cause for being, then these
+marshes may claim a right to existence.
+
+In preglacial times this region was probably forested, but now the
+forest is buried beneath the drift of the glacier which deposited
+fragments of Palisade and Orange Mountain trap rock on Staten Island.
+During the depression of the land which occurred as the ice gradually
+receded, the waters of the sea doubtless passed up here and the meadow
+was a larger “Newark Bay.” Then commenced their slow filling up by the
+silt brought down by the Hackensack River. The river has preserved a
+right of way, but the bay has given place to a sea of reeds and grasses.
+
+[Illustration: 45. Hackensack marshes in August.]
+
+On a bright August morning I mount a spur of trap rock which reaches out
+from the western base of the Palisades, and from this elevation have an
+uninterrupted view over the meadows. The cool, invigorating air
+foretells the approach of autumn; it is brilliantly clear. The Orange
+hills stand out with the distinctness of Western mountains. The sun is
+at my back, and the light shows the meadows to the best advantage. At
+this distance I get the effect of only the masses of color; tracts of
+yellowish green meadow grass tinged with copper, and in places thickly
+sprinkled with the white flowers of the water hemlock and water parsnip;
+streaks of light green wild rice, and sharply defined areas of dark
+green cat-tail flags. The grass grows on the drier land, the wild rice
+in the small sloughs and creeks which are bordered by the flags. In the
+spring the wind blows the pollen from the cat-tail blossoms, and a
+shifting greenish vapor floats over the marsh; in the autumn a heavy
+westerly wind raises the seed-bearing down high in the air, carries it
+over the Palisades, across the Hudson, and it descends like a fall of
+fleecy snow on wondering New York.
+
+The marsh is a vast arena inclosed by the Palisades and Passaic hills;
+it is a great plain, with blue stretches of the winding river appearing
+here and there, and the haystacks are the huts of aborigines. I half
+close my eyes, and it is a copper-yellow sea. The grasses roll in
+undulating waves, capped by a white crest of parsnip and hemlock
+blossoms; the dark irregular patches of flags are the shadows of clouds,
+the light streaks of wild rice are shoals, a hovering Marsh Hawk is a
+Gull. A stately white-winged schooner^{45} comes up the river; her hull
+is hidden by the meadow grasses; she is sailing through the sea of my
+fancy.
+
+This is an impressionist’s view of the meadows. Now let us leave our
+rocky lookout and examine them more in detail. The meadow we are leaving
+is a meadow of all summer; the one we are approaching is a meadow clad
+in all the glory of its August flowers. One might think Nature was
+holding a flower show here, so gorgeous is the display. The railway
+track at the edge of the marsh is apparently an endless aisle bordered
+by a rich exhibit of flowers. Clusters of thoroughwort and purple
+loose-strife grow so abundantly they give color to the foreground,
+through which wild sunflowers make streaks of gold. There are solid beds
+of purple asters on the drier land, and delicate snow-white saggitarias
+in the sloughs. Jewel flowers sparkle through the flags, and convolvulus
+hangs from the reeds, its own foliage scarce showing, or, growing with
+the fragrant climbing hempweed, it forms banks of dense vegetation. The
+scarlet lobelia darts upward like a tongue of flame, startling in its
+intense brilliancy. There are burnet, vervain, gerardia, and running
+groundnut. But it is the marsh^{46} mallow which, more than any other
+flower, gives beauty to the meadow. It grows here with wasteful
+luxuriance, and the dark masses of flags serve as a frame for this
+floral picture. Out in the marsh it grows in equal profusion; the meadow
+is hung with small pink lanterns, as if for a _fête_. A single flower of
+the marsh mallow commands the attention of the most unobservant, and
+when growing in abundance it excites enthusiastic admiration.
+
+[Illustration: 46. Marsh mallows.]
+
+Nor is the animal life of the marsh less interesting than its flora.
+Meadow mice nest beneath the haycocks. Were it not for the minks and
+Hawks which prey on them, they might become a scourge throughout the
+surrounding country. Muskrats are living in peaceful security in their
+snug summer homes, hollowed from the banks of the streams. They are the
+true villagers here, and pass the winter in icy huts, like Eskimos. Out
+in the grasses Short-eared Owls are hiding. Their day begins when the
+sun disappears behind the Orange hills; then one may hear the “quawk” of
+the Night Heron. Red-winged Blackbirds nest here, and in the autumn they
+gather in great flocks and feed on the wild rice.
+
+[Illustration: 47. Wild rice.]
+
+Long-billed Marsh Wrens—small, nervous, excitable bits of feathered
+life—are abundant in the flags, and to them they attach their large
+woven nests. Except for a harsh, scolding note they are silent now, but
+earlier in the year the marsh is musical with their rippling songs. The
+fervor of the love season overcomes their fondness for the dark recesses
+of the flags, and, singing, they rise into the air as if driven upward
+by the mine of melody which explodes within them.
+
+Swamp Sparrows are common, and their clear trill is one of the few
+August songs. Bobolinks, traveling in disguise and under the assumed
+name of “Reedbird,” pause here to feed on the ripening wild rice.^{47}
+Some of them have not yet completed their change of costume and appear
+in a spotted suit of black and yellow. Occasionally one hears a
+suppressed burst of the “mad music” of June, but their common note is a
+metallic _chink_. At night this note is heard from high in the air, as
+the birds continue their journey to the cultivated rice fields of South
+Carolina and Georgia, there to remain until September or October, when
+they leave for their winter home south of the Amazon.
+
+The Sora Rails, beloved of sportsmen and epicures, are also attracted to
+the marshes by the wild rice. On their arrival in early August they are
+indeed “as thin as a rail,” but an abundance of food soon rounds their
+bodies into comparative plumpness. The 1st of September is a black day
+in their calendar. Then they are outlawed, a price is set on their
+bodies, and at high tide each day during this sad month one sees
+numerous puffs of smoke arise from the tall grasses and dull reports
+come booming over the marsh with fateful frequency.
+
+But the characteristic birds of the marshes at this season are Swallows.
+They outnumber many times all the rest of the marsh birds together—in
+fact, are present in such myriads that their gatherings are one of the
+most interesting and impressive phenomena of the bird life of this
+region.
+
+Five species are represented. Named in the order of their abundance they
+are the Tree, Bank, Barn, Eave, and Rough-winged Swallows. The last are
+comparatively rare, while the Tree Swallows are so in excess of all the
+species named that the following remarks relate largely to them alone.
+
+Although Tree or White-breasted Swallows nest locally throughout North
+America, from the tableland of Mexico to Labrador and Alaska, there are
+but few instances of their breeding in the lower Hudson River valley,
+where they appear only as migrants or transient visitants. They arrive
+from the south early in April, and their northward migration is not
+concluded until about June 1st. During June they are rarely seen, but
+between the 1st and the 5th of July they begin their journey to their
+winter homes—a movement which inaugurates the fall migration.
+
+This stage of their journey takes them only to certain marshes, which
+become stations on their line of travel where countless numbers of their
+kind, impelled by the flocking impulse, gather to roost in the reeds.
+Their numbers increase steadily through July and August, the maximum of
+abundance being reached about September 1st; then they gradually become
+less numerous, and by October 10th comparatively few remain, though if
+the weather be favorable, they may be observed daily until late in the
+month.
+
+Throughout this period—from July to October—the marsh is used only as a
+dormitory, the reeds evidently offering suitable perches to these
+weak-footed birds, who in the morning radiate throughout the surrounding
+country and in the evening return to the marsh to sleep. In the evening
+they fly low, and the altitude and time of their flight make them
+conspicuous. In the morning they fly high, as though bound to some
+distant feeding ground, and at so early an hour that they usually escape
+observation. The evening flight, therefore, is generally considered as
+truly migratory, when, in fact, the same birds doubtless pass over a
+given locality night after night, perhaps for weeks, in returning to
+their roosts in the marshes.
+
+[Illustration: 48. “Bird notes”—Tree Swallows.]
+
+These evening flights begin about two hours and a half before sunset,
+when the birds, after resting during the late forenoon and early
+afternoon, usually on some telegraph wire,^{48} begin to wheel and
+circle over the fields in pursuit of their evening meal, when one might
+imagine they were resident birds, but observation will show that the
+general trend of their movement is toward the roost.
+
+This continues for an hour to an hour and a half, a cloudy evening
+hastening their actions, when their flight becomes more direct. Few
+birds pause to feed, but hurry on to the roosting places, and as the
+light fades the last birds rush through the gloom with arrowy speed and
+directness. The birds pass in straggling flocks, and periods of
+abundance are succeeded by intervals of scarcity, as though the
+individuals which had been associated during the day were journeying
+home together.
+
+Thus the Swallow’s evening flight may be observed throughout the region
+surrounding the marshes; even in New York city they may be seen feeding
+above the houses, and after sunset flocks of swift-flying birds are
+often confused by the telegraph wires, which, however, their dexterity
+of wing permits them to pass without serious harm.
+
+In the marshes the first birds are seen about two hours before sunset.
+Many follow the course of the river, and if one be at its border splash
+after splash is heard as the birds dip lightly into the water, followed
+by soft fluffs as arising from the stream they shake their plumage. Soon
+the air is filled with Swallows, all streaming toward the roost with
+increasing swiftness.
+
+Many birds, however, as though waiting for some tardy comrades, rest by
+the way, perching on telegraph wires should they cross the marsh, or
+when these are wanting, on the tips of the reeds. They invariably face
+the wind, and when it is from the west the last rays of the sun striking
+their white breasts make them appear like snowy flowers crowning the
+reeds. Suddenly, with a rush, they whirl onward to the roost.
+
+Thus far the exact location of this roost has defied my search. I have,
+however, roughly defined the bounds of that section of the marsh in
+which it is placed by observation stands at which the Swallows flew
+north and south respectively, and somewhere between the two I still hope
+to discover the Swallows’ sleeping haunts.
+
+The following description of their departure from the marshes in the
+morning is abstracted from my journal, under date of August 15, 1886: “A
+cool, clear morning, with a light northwesterly wind. I reached the
+marshes shortly before five o’clock, when they appeared to be deserted,
+not a Swallow being in sight. At two minutes of five the first birds
+were observed, then flock after flock they came until at five the air
+was filled with hurrying forms, flying at varying altitudes toward the
+north.
+
+“Suddenly, from the meadows near me there arose a vast cloud of
+Swallows, doubtless birds which had come from farther south in the marsh
+before my arrival. Steadily they mounted upward, until having attained a
+height where with a strong glass they appeared faint dots against the
+sky, they slowly winged their way northward.
+
+“All the time the meadows were alive with birds feeding in every
+direction; gradually they passed to the north, when another huge flock
+arose from the marsh, and after gaining an immense height disappeared,
+this time toward the east.
+
+[Illustration: 49. Tree Swallows in tree.]
+
+“As the sun rose over the Palisades few birds were on the wing, but
+great flocks were perched in the reeds on the banks of the creek, and as
+in my canoe I drifted slowly up to them, they seemed unmindful of my
+presence, when, as though at a signal, they arose as one bird, and after
+hovering lightly overhead returned to the reeds.
+
+“The tide was low, and along the shore several Sora Rail were feeding,
+and, as carried by the tide I floated noiselessly by, they paused in
+their search for food, and with tails upraised regarded me with evident
+astonishment. A mink approached the shores of a small inflowing stream,
+hesitated, then plunged in, crossed, and disappeared in the tall grasses
+on the opposite side. The air was vocal with the calls of Red-winged
+Blackbirds, the _chink_ of Bobolinks, and the rattle of Swamp Sparrows.
+
+“On a reed-grown point below was another great army of Swallows. With
+surprising regularity a detachment left it every fifteen minutes; thus,
+birds left at 6, 6.15, 6.30, and 6.45, when the reeds were deserted. The
+departing birds did not arise alone, but the entire flock arose at once,
+then divided into two flocks, one of which flew northward while the
+other returned to the reeds. Many of the departing birds alighted on the
+reeds farther up the creek; their numbers constantly received additions
+from the ranks of passing birds, and thus new flocks were formed.
+
+“At eight o’clock the last Swallows had left the reeds in my vicinity,
+but birds were constantly passing toward the north, and this straggling
+flight continued until nine o’clock, when again the marshes appeared
+deserted.”
+
+
+Subsequent observations have been made largely from a road crossing the
+marsh, the telegraph and electric-light wires which border it being the
+resting place of vast numbers of Swallows, both at night and in the
+morning. Particularly do they throng the wires near the creek, which
+flows north and south through the marsh, and which, it is interesting to
+observe, forms a natural highway for the Swallows as they go to and from
+their roosts.
+
+On the sides of this road are several small maple trees, to which the
+Swallows often resort in such numbers that their foliage trembles as
+though in a strong breeze, it not being the birds’ object to perch in
+the trees, but to flutter among the dew-laden leaves, and apparently
+bathe in the moisture they contain, while between the baths they rest on
+the smaller terminal twigs, when they are very difficult to
+observe.^{49} This habit does not appear to have been previously
+recorded, and I am by no means certain that the explanation offered is
+the true one.
+
+[Illustration: 50. Tree Swallows on wire and nest hunting about pile.]
+
+Frequently one or more flocks, varying in size from eight or ten to
+several hundred birds, may be seen in the road, where I at first
+supposed they were “dusting,” but soon noticed that most of the birds
+after alighting in the road were motionless. They did not move about as
+though searching for food, but occasionally the actions of a pair
+enabled one apparently to determine the sex of each individual, and more
+often a bird would pick up a bit of dried grass and fly up into the air
+with it. Sometimes it was carried fifty yards or more and then dropped;
+at others, the birds would carry it to the telegraph wires above, and
+drop it after perching a moment. Without exception, all the birds seen
+to alight in the road were in the dull, immature plumage of birds of the
+year, and in their actions, as Mr. William Brewster has remarked (The
+Auk, 1898, p. 194), they evidently gave a premature exhibition of the
+procreative and nest-building instincts.^{51}
+
+Additional evidence of the possession of inherited knowledge was
+apparently given by many Tree Swallows, who were frequently seen
+hovering about a pile standing in the creek.^{50} At first it was
+supposed that these birds were feeding on insects which had alighted on
+the pile; but the number of birds—often a dozen or more—seen fluttering
+about it, and the persistency with which they remained there, forced the
+conclusion that in a wholly unreasoning way they were looking for a
+nesting site.
+
+Swallows are not known to migrate by night, and, so far as I am aware,
+no single Swallow has ever been found among the thousands of
+night-flying birds which have perished by striking lighthouses. The
+Swallows, therefore, when migrating probably leave the marsh during the
+day, but in what manner who can say?
+
+[Illustration: 51. Immature Tree Swallows gathering nesting material.]
+
+Several times when crossing the marshes on the cars I have observed
+gatherings of Swallows which made the immense flocks observed daily in
+August and September seem little more than a family of birds. They
+appeared in the distance like a vast swarm of gnats; it was as though
+all the Swallows in the marsh had collected in one great storm of birds.
+The significance of this movement I have never had the fortune to
+determine, but it seems highly probable that it is connected with the
+inauguration of an actual migration toward the birds’ winter quarters.
+
+
+
+
+                        TWO DAYS WITH THE TERNS
+
+
+Terns are useless for food, and can not therefore be classed as “game
+birds.” So far as we know they are of no special economic value.
+Consequently, when one protests against their practical annihilation for
+millinery purposes, he is not infrequently answered: “Well, what good
+are they?” The question exposes so absolute a failure to appreciate the
+bird’s exquisite beauty and unexcelled grace—such a discouraging
+materialism—that one realizes the hopelessness of replying.
+
+I confess I find it impossible to describe satisfactorily just what the
+presence of Terns along our coast means to me. It is not alone their
+perfection of color, form, and movement which appeals to one, but also
+the sense of companionship they bring; and doubtless this feeling is
+emphasized by the impressive loneliness of the sea, which makes anything
+alive doubly welcome. And so the coming of a single one of these
+beautiful creatures changes the character of the bay or shore. With
+unfailing pleasure one watches its marvelously easy flight, its
+startling darts for its food of small fish, and when it disappears the
+scene loses a grateful element of life.
+
+A milliner’s hunter or fisherman, however, might have made a very
+different reply to the unimaginative individual who asked the value of
+Terns. The former would have told him that they were worth about ten
+cents each for hat trimmings; the latter would have said that their eggs
+made excellent omelets; and each has done his best—the one to lay all
+Terns on the altar of Fashion, the other to see that none of their eggs
+escaped the frying pan.
+
+In the meantime a number of bird lovers have taken up the battle for the
+Terns in their few remaining strongholds, and the brief history of Tern
+destruction and protection is full of suggestive incidents.
+
+It was about twenty years ago that Terns first found favor in woman’s
+eyes, and during the few succeeding years hundreds of thousands of these
+birds were killed on the Atlantic coast for milliners. Cobb’s Island, on
+the coast of Virginia, is credited with having supplied forty thousand
+in a single season, and, as one of the killers recently confessed to me
+that he knew of fourteen hundred being killed in a day, the story is
+doubtless true. Their delicate white and pearl-gray feathers were, of
+course, badly blood-stained; but good and bad, the skins were washed and
+then thrown into a barrel of plaster, which was rolled up and down the
+beach until the moisture was absorbed from their plumage. A Long Island
+taxidermist used a patent churn for this purpose.
+
+The destruction at other favorable points was proportionately great, and
+in two or three years one looked in vain for the Terns which had
+previously so enlivened our shores.
+
+The protection afforded by an insular existence was now given a
+practical and striking illustration. The Terns which nested on the
+mainland or nearlying sand bars were soon extirpated, but on certain
+less accessible, uninhabited islets, they still survived.
+
+Thus all that were left of countless numbers of these birds which once
+inhabited the shores of Long Island were to be found on the Great Gull
+Island, while Muskeget and Penikese, off the Massachusetts coast,
+contained the only large colonies of Terns from Long Island to Maine.
+The existence of the Gull Island colony being threatened by collectors,
+the influence of several bird lovers secured the appointment of the
+keeper of the lighthouse on the neighboring islet, Little Gull, as a
+special game warden to enforce the previously useless laws supposed to
+protect the Terns.
+
+The result was both encouraging and instructive. In two years it is
+estimated that the colony increased from two thousand to four thousand,
+and it was hoped that it might prove a nucleus from which the adjoining
+shores would eventually be restocked with Terns. But the Government at
+Washington selected Great Gull Island as a desirable point for
+fortifications, and before even this suggestion of war the poor Terns
+disappeared. For one season the laborers employed by the Government
+feasted on Terns’ eggs; then the gradual occupancy of the eighteen acres
+composing the islet forced the birds to seek homes elsewhere.
+
+Hence it follows that if one would see Terns in numbers on the middle
+Atlantic coast to-day, he must journey to two small islets off
+Massachusetts, which thus far have afforded them a refuge. Interesting
+it is to recall that on Martha’s Vineyard, lying between the two, are
+found the only living representatives of the Heath Hen, or Eastern
+Prairie Hen, which was once locally abundant in certain parts of the
+Eastern and Middle States.
+
+In 1889 I visited the Terns of Great Gull Island, and a desire to be
+again surrounded by these birds, and perhaps secure photographs of them
+and their way of living, brought me on July 16, 1899, to Wood’s Holl,
+Massachusetts, _en route_ to whichever Tern headquarters it might prove
+most convenient to reach.
+
+Quite unexpectedly there proved to be a small colony of Common and
+Roseate Terns on three islets, known as the Weepeckets, standing in
+Buzzard’s Bay, near the entrance to Wood’s Holl. In all, there were
+probably between three and four hundred birds, of which by far the
+greater number appeared to be domiciled on the largest of the three
+islands. This contains from ten to twelve acres of sand, grown with
+beach grass, scrub sumach, bayberries, and a few stunted pines about two
+feet in height.
+
+On this apparently uninviting bit of land I passed two delightful days
+alone with the Terns. The accompanying photographs tell far more of the
+birds than pen can well express, but they convey no suggestion of the
+pleasure I experienced in again finding myself among them.
+
+[Illustration: 52. Nesting site, nest, and three eggs of Common Tern. A
+nearer view of nest with sitting bird is shown in Nos. 63 and 64.]
+
+The birds were nesting on the upland, on the sloping grass bank, on the
+northwest side of the island, and on the rocky beach^{52} at its base.
+In the two first-named locations most of the nests were lined with
+grasses, but occasionally they consisted of only a slight, bared
+depression in the earth; while the eggs along the beach were, as a rule,
+deposited on wisps or piles of driftweed. There were perhaps six or
+eight Roseate Terns, the others were apparently all Common Terns, but as
+I am unfamiliar with the very similar Arctic Tern, it is possible that
+this species may have been present.
+
+[Illustration: 53. Tern hovering above nest.]
+
+A Tern colony is in some respects a unit. The alarm of one bird is
+shared by all, and before the boat’s keel grated on the sandy beach of
+the largest Weepecket, the snowy-breasted birds, which in a group were
+resting there, had taken flight, and with their singular call told all
+the other Terns on the island of my invasion. At once the birds gathered
+and, hanging in a flock overhead, protested most vigorously against my
+intrusion with their purring, vibrant _te-a-r-r-r_. This cry never
+ceases so long as one remains near their home; it rings in the ears for
+days afterward, and one need only to recall it to form a clear mental
+picture of a sky full of hovering Terns. Occasionally this monotone was
+punctuated by a loud, reedy _cack_ as a Roseate Tern dashed by, or as
+some half-distracted bird, whose nest was doubtless near, screaming,
+dived close to my head with a sudden, startling swish. It seemed almost
+as though the bird would pierce me with its sharply pointed bill; and if
+it could have managed to go through the rim of my hat without damage to
+either of us, I should have been very glad to have sacrificed that
+article of apparel to such an exhibition of bravery.
+
+[Illustration: 54. Nest and eggs of Tern on upland.]
+
+As I advanced I began to discover nests. Some were on the upland, snugly
+placed in the grass or near a large stone,^{54} and with pretty
+surroundings of yarrow, sumach, or bending grasses; others were on the
+little shelves of the steep westerly bank of the islet; and others still
+on bits of seaweed among the pebbles and rocks which here formed the
+beach.^{55} No attempt was made to take advantage of the concealment
+offered by the groups of bowlders scattered along the beach, and beneath
+which the birds might have hidden effectively, it being presumably their
+object to select a site from which they could readily detect any cause
+for alarm. As a rule, their nests contained one or two eggs, only a
+single nest being seen with three.
+
+Although by this time birds of the year should have been on the wing,
+few young of any age were seen—a condition which was doubtless explained
+by the fact that the birds, thus far, had been too much occupied
+furnishing the members of boating parties with souvenirs of their day’s
+outing, to give attention to their own household affairs.
+
+[Illustration: 55. Tern’s nest and eggs in drift _débris_.]
+
+However, the few young that were seen gave a most interesting exhibition
+of their instinctive appreciation of the value of both their protective
+colors and the power of their legs. As long as they believed themselves
+unobserved they trusted in the former; but the moment they became
+convinced that a further attempt at concealment was useless, they
+transferred their faith to their pedal extremities, on which they
+pattered off as far and as fast as their strength permitted. This
+observation was verified later on Penikese,^{57} where young were
+numerous, and the habit was well shown by the young bird figured.^{56}
+He was discovered squatting among the rocks, where he remained,
+practically at my feet, while I set up my tripod and deliberately made
+his picture—during which operation so inconspicuous was he that I
+invariably had to hunt for him each time I removed my eyes from the
+exact spot in which he was crouching. Wishing now to show him to better
+advantage, he was picked up and placed on a wisp of driftweed. At once
+his manner changed. My touch had broken the spell; what could be felt
+could be seen, and, whereas before he had been as motionless as the
+pebbles about him,^{57} his one object now was to get out of sight as
+speedily as possible. Consequently, time after time, the moment I took
+my hand from him he was off, and it was only by squeezing the bulb the
+moment he was released that I succeeded finally in securing his picture
+on the seaweed.
+
+[Illustration: 56. Young Tern hiding on rocky beach.]
+
+Young Terns, apparently, spend at least two days in the nest, during
+which time they are brooded by the parents; then they wander about
+within a limited space seeking the shade of a stone or bit of driftwood,
+always of course under the parental care. At Penikese, young of the year
+were seen on the wing, and the series of pictures shown represents the
+stages of growth from the egg to the age at which the bird takes flight.
+
+[Illustration: 57. Young Tern hiding in the grass.]
+
+Both the nature of the bird’s haunts and the manner in which the members
+of a colony spread an alarm make it practically impossible to surprise a
+Tern upon its nest. But by lying prone upon the ground one attracts far
+less attention than when standing. The hovering flock of birds gradually
+disperses, and those which are incubating soon return to the vicinity of
+their nests, hanging over them and dropping nearer and nearer,^{53}
+until at the end of fifteen or twenty minutes they swoop down beside
+them, raise their wings high over their backs, then fold them gently and
+settle upon their eggs.^{58}
+
+On a second visit to the island a bit of old sail was brought, which I
+drew over me when lying on the ground—a plan resulting in my practical
+disappearance, as far as the Terns were concerned.
+
+[Illustration: 58. Tern alighting on nest. Same nest as Nos. 60–62.]
+
+Obviously the only manner in which photographs of the Terns on their
+nests could be secured was to conceal one’s camera near the nest and
+retire, with a tube or thread, to a distance of a hundred feet or more.
+A nest was therefore selected about halfway up the bank on the westerly
+side of the island, the camera staked to the ground with long iron pins,
+and completely covered with the dried seaweed abundant on the beach
+below. I then attached a black linen thread to the shutter and retired
+about one hundred feet to the top of the bank. Almost as soon as I lay
+down the tumult overhead ceased, the birds scattered, and the rasping
+_te-a-r-r-r_ note of alarm was replaced by a variety of calls, showing
+these birds to be possessed of an unexpectedly extended vocabulary. One
+call was a chirp not unlike the White-throated Sparrow’s, a second might
+be written _tue, tue, tue_, and was uttered when one bird was in pursuit
+of another.
+
+[Illustration: 59. Tern on hillside nest.]
+
+The seaweed not only concealed the camera perfectly, but was so abundant
+near the bird’s nest that the appearance of a fresh mound apparently did
+not even excite the bird’s curiosity, and within twenty minutes it had
+returned to its eggs. It happened, however, that the nature of the site
+chosen induced the bird to face the water, and as the camera was above,
+and consequently behind it, the view presented did not show it to
+advantage, but after several unsuccessful trials the attempt to secure a
+more flattering view was abandoned.^{59}
+
+A bird was now chosen who was incubating two eggs placed in a depression
+in a little mound of seaweed on the beach. On this occasion the camera
+was placed on a driftwood box, weighted with stones, and completely
+covered with seaweed. These eggs were hatching, and the bird soon
+returned to them; but before it had come back, another bird in darting
+by had flown into the thread, springing the shutter, and making the
+picture^{60} of the nest and eggs here given quite as effectively as
+many a similarly inexperienced photographer could have done.
+
+[Illustration: 60. Tern’s nest and hatching eggs in seaweed.]
+
+The day but one following—July 20th—these eggshells had disappeared, and
+the nest was occupied by two young birds with just enough strength to
+crawl toward the parent bird when it appeared with food.^{61} And when
+their appetites were appeased the parent bird took her place on the nest
+and brooded them with the care of an anxious hen.^{62}
+
+A few yards from this new family were two young who could not have been
+over four days old, but who had left the nest for the shade of a piece
+of driftwood. Here they were fed by two birds—doubtless both
+parents—whom they seemed to recognize among the other Terns hovering
+above them. They were apparently fed on small fish, which the parent
+bird placed in their open mouths while standing just within reaching
+distance. None of the several pictures of these birds were wholly
+successful, but in all of them the old birds seem to be much more
+graceful in form than the parent of the newly hatched young in the
+seaweed.
+
+[Illustration: 61. Tern about to feed young. Same nest as No. 60.]
+
+A less experienced Tern had placed its nest of a few bits of seaweed
+among the pebbles, almost within reach of the waves. This bird was
+singularly restless, turning its head from side to side so constantly
+that its picture was secured only by pulling the long thread the moment
+after the bird moved.^{63, 64} Like all the birds photographed on the
+nest, it showed no alarm at the click of the shutter as the exposure was
+made. This surprised me not a little. The camera was usually about three
+feet from the bird, the exposure was necessarily rapid (¹⁄₂₅ second and
+stop 8), the snap of the old-style “Henry Clay,” used on the first day,
+or even of the less loud Iris diaphragm, could be plainly heard at a
+distance of several yards, and its failure to startle these nervous,
+easily frightened birds makes one suspect that their hearing is
+deficient.
+
+[Illustration: 62. Tern brooding young. Same nest as No. 60.]
+
+The nests of the Terns that chose the upland for a home were often
+picturesquely surrounded by stunted sumach or blooming yarrow, but the
+birds here were far less easy to photograph because of the difficulty of
+thoroughly concealing one’s camera. The owner of an especially pleasing
+nesting site kept me beneath my bit of sail for somewhat over two hours,
+while she—if it was she—hung in the air just over her eggs, on which I
+momentarily expected to see her settle.^{65}
+
+[Illustration: 63. Tern on nest. Site shown in No. 52.]
+
+[Illustration: 64. Tern on nest. Site shown in No. 52.]
+
+In the meantime the tide had arisen and floated my boat, which was
+carried by the wind across to Naushon, and I might have passed the night
+with the Terns, had not the Fish Commissioner’s launch taken me off in
+the afternoon.
+
+It would not have been an unwelcome experience. There was an abundance
+of dry seaweed for a couch—a nest, I had almost said—and some cavernlike
+openings beneath the piles of great bowlders had a very snug and cozy
+look, which probably would have disappeared shortly after sunset.
+
+[Illustration: 65. Tern on upland nest.]
+
+Two days later I went to Penikese, and my dominant thought on recalling
+the experience is an intense desire to repeat it. Penikese, or at least
+its northern part, is an island of Terns. On the rocky beach, from which
+the sides of the bank lead to the rolling upland above, whichever way I
+looked was a Tern’s nest with its two, or, rarely, three eggs. Less
+frequently young Terns were seen, varying in age from those just
+emerging from the shell to others almost ready to fly, while overhead
+was a countless multitude of hovering, darting Terns, whose voices
+united in one continuous, grating _te-a-r-r-r_ made the air tremble.
+There was an occasional vibrant cack from a Roseate, but not more than a
+dozen birds of this species were heard. Asked to estimate the number of
+birds present I should have said ten thousand, though I should not have
+been surprised to learn that there were twenty thousand. However, Mr.
+George H. Mackay, of Nantucket, who may be regarded as a Tern
+specialist, placed the number of Terns on Penikese, in 1896, at “six or
+seven thousand,” and with the assistance of Mr. R. H. Howe, Jr., counted
+1,416 nests containing 2,055 eggs (Auk, xiv, 1897, p. 283).
+
+[Illustration: 66. Young Terns; first stage, about four days old.]
+
+A small flock of sheep shared this part of the island with the Terns,
+and their presence accounted for the short grass which made the upland
+resemble a closely cut lawn, and permitted one readily to see the Tern’s
+eggs when several yards distant. For the same reason the birds could be
+seen even more plainly, and my most pleasing memory of Penikese is the
+greensward dotted with the white forms of breeding birds, who had
+returned to their nests after I had partially concealed myself behind a
+bowlder.
+
+[Illustration: 67. Young Tern, about a week old.]
+
+[Illustration: 68. Young Tern; third stage, second plumage appearing.]
+
+In or near the nests many dead young birds were seen. The cause of their
+death was not evident, unless it may be attributed to the unguarded
+footsteps of the grazing sheep. If this be true, the parent birds seemed
+in no way to resent the sheep’s carelessness, but accepted their
+presence without protest; one bird even exhibited a sign of good
+fellowship by perching on a sheep’s back, and the length of time it
+remained there showed that it was by no means an unwelcome visitor.
+
+[Illustration: 69. Young Tern, fourth stage.]
+
+My time on Penikese was too short to more than show what an admirable
+opportunity is here offered the ornithologist who desires to make a
+close study of the home life and social relations of Terns. The present
+owners of the island, the Messrs. Homer, of New Bedford, take a greatly
+to be commended interest in the welfare of their feathered tenants, and,
+through posters and the agency of their representative on the island,
+aim to afford the birds a much-needed protection.
+
+What an enviable possession! What a privilege to be able to give a
+refuge to so large a proportion of the remaining survivors of these
+persecuted birds!
+
+[Illustration: 70. Young Tern, stage before flight.]
+
+With no desire to underrate the services to the Commonwealth of these
+gentlemen, I still could wish the Terns more stable protectors. Not the
+State, whose record as a Tern protector does not invite our confidence,
+but a society of bird lovers—the Nuttall Club of Cambridge, or the
+Audubon Society of Massachusetts. Would it not be a fitting act for one
+of these organizations to ask from woman, the Tern’s chief enemy,
+contributions to a fund for the purchase of an asylum for her victims.
+Can no one so plead the Terns’ cause that many a feather-bedecked woman
+will be glad to send her conscience money to aid in securing their
+protection?
+
+But in addition to being a home of the birds, Penikese has other claims
+upon Nature lovers. Here Agassiz, through the medium of his summer
+school, brought his pupils into direct contact with Nature, and the
+scene of his labors is fraught with associations to every one familiar
+with the inspiring history of his life. Let us keep this island sacred
+to his memory and the Terns.
+
+
+
+
+               THE BIRD ROCKS OF THE GULF OF ST. LAWRENCE
+
+
+                         PERCÉ AND BONAVENTURE
+
+The naturalist realizes with the utmost sadness that the encroachments
+of civilization are rapidly changing the conditions of animal life on
+this small sphere of ours, and that soon he may find Nature primeval
+only in its more remote or inaccessible parts.
+
+Forest life vanishes with the demand for timber, which sends the axeman
+in advance of the agriculturist. The tillable plains, prairies, and
+bottom lands are transformed by the plow. The sandy beaches suffer with
+an eruption of summer hotels and cottages, and within the confines of
+civilization only such useless portions of the earth’s surface as the
+arid deserts and barren mountain tops, marshy wastes and rocky or
+far-distant islets, have been unaltered by man.
+
+It is especially to the preserving influences of island life that we owe
+the continued survival of many animals which have greatly decreased or
+become exterminated on the mainland, as has been remarked of the Terns
+and Heath Hen—two illustrations among hundreds that might be given.
+Certain animals, therefore, are not only more abundant on islands, but,
+if their home be not shared by man, they exhibit a tameness surprising
+to one who has known only the timid, man-fearing creatures of the
+mainland.
+
+On several uninhabited West Indian islets the sailors of Columbus killed
+Pigeons and other birds with sticks, or caught them in their hands.
+Darwin writes of the “extreme tameness” of the birds of the Galapagos,
+and tells of pushing a Hawk off its perch with the muzzle of his gun.
+Moseley, on Inaccessible and Kerguelen Islands, had similar experiences.
+
+The Albatrosses of the Laysan Islands show far less fear of man than do
+barnyard fowls—in short, if it were necessary, hundreds of instances
+might be cited to show that distrust of man is an acquired and not a
+natural trait of animals.
+
+Having these facts in mind, therefore, I bethought me of some island or
+islands which were neither at the antipodes nor either pole, and where
+birds were not only abundant, but in such happy ignorance of man that no
+difficulty would be experienced in securing their photographs. These
+would not only have a present interest and value, but would also form
+permanent records of conditions already threatened by the destructive
+tendencies of the age.
+
+After carefully considering all the more easily reached islets of the
+Atlantic and Pacific coasts, my choice fell on certain of the bird rocks
+of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The name bird rock is used in both a
+general and a special sense. In the former it may be applied to many of
+the rocky islets of the gulf, in the latter it relates exclusively to
+_the_ Bird Rocks at the northeastern end of the Magdalen group.
+
+Percé Rock, Bonaventure Island, the Magdalens, and the Bird Rocks
+themselves seemed to offer the best opportunities to the bird
+photographer, and, accompanied by my best assistant, I departed for the
+first named on July 2, 1898.
+
+Percé Rock^{71} (so named because its base has been pierced by the
+action of the waves) lies about three hundred feet off the land at the
+town of Percé, on the west side of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
+
+A semiweekly steamer from Dalhousie, near the head of Bay of Chaleur,
+furnishes the regular means of communication with Percé, and the town at
+once possesses a distinction over any place on the line of a railway.
+For, aside from every other reason, there is a pervasiveness about the
+smoke of a railway locomotive which contaminates the atmosphere and robs
+local influences of half their potency. Doubtless there are persons who
+would be glad to change the aroma of Percé’s fishyards for the stifling
+air of a railway tunnel, but give me the pungent odor of Percé’s drying
+cod unadulterated.
+
+Even the steamer does not touch Percé, and we were landed by a boat in a
+sea just rough enough to make the experience interesting. At the pier no
+hotel agent greeted us, for Percé possesses neither hotel nor boarding
+house, and summer resorters are almost unknown. This was a delightful
+discovery. We had come in search of an isolated colony of birds, and we
+found also an isolated colony of man—quaint fisher folk whose _patois_
+French had a gratefully foreign sound.
+
+[Illustration: 71. Percé Rock from the north.]
+
+Lodgings were secured at the home of a retired fisherman, and
+immediately we sallied forth to pay tribute to the Rock from the nearest
+point on the mainland. Its size and precipitousness were both surprising
+and impressive. Seen from the land it seemed like the hull of some great
+ship which had gone ashore here in the age of the Titans. Nearly three
+hundred feet high at the bow, with a beam of about one hundred, and a
+length over all of twelve hundred feet, it was not likely to be boarded
+by the most nimble seaman.
+
+Doubtless an expert climber, properly equipped with ropes and
+assistants, might reach the summit; but as the last man to make the
+attempt, some fifty years ago, lost his life, the town authorities have
+imposed a fine of five pounds on any one who shall be found guilty of
+scaling or trying to scale the Rock, and the law, incidentally, protects
+the birds as well as man.
+
+The top of the Rock is occupied by a colony of probably between two and
+three thousand Herring Gulls and Double-crested Cormorants. The
+guidebooks array these birds in picturesque cohorts which make the
+Cormorants’ part of the Rock black, the Gulls’ white; and they further
+state that should a black bird chance to trespass on the Gulls’
+territory, he is immediately surrounded by a consuming white cloud, and
+_vice versa_. But be it said to the disgrace of man and the credit of
+birds, that the Cormorants and Gulls nest side by side apparently on
+terms of the greatest amity.
+
+At this point it should be stated that my photographic outfit consisted
+of an ancient but useful 4 × 5 “Waterbury Detective,” containing a wide
+angle, short-focus lens, and designed for general handwork; a 4 × 5
+long-focus “Premo” with a 6½-inch trade lens and Unicum shutter, for use
+from a tripod or in photographing nests, landscapes, etc., and a 5 × 7
+twin lens with a 10-inch lens and Prosch shutter, a camera made
+especially for animal photography, but which was undesirably bulky.
+
+None of these was of service in photographing the inhabitants of Percé
+Rock from the land, nor could a telephoto be used to advantage, the Rock
+being so much higher than the adjoining mainland. From a boat near the
+base of the southeast side of the Rock a better opportunity is afforded
+for photographing its summit, and the best of several attempts made at
+this point is here presented.^{72} Examined under a glass it conveys
+some idea of the number of birds occupying the top of the Rock; and
+while one regrets that the camera does so little justice to the subject,
+one can not but rejoice that here, at least, is one place to which
+probably for all time birds may return each year and rear their young in
+perfect security.
+
+In crevices in the face of the Rock numbers of Guillemots nest, and
+directly above the pierced opening dwell a colony of about thirty
+Kittiwakes, who have apparently taken up their residence in the Rock
+within comparatively recent years, since none were here in 1881 when Mr.
+William Brewster visited Percé.
+
+[Illustration: 72. Percé Rock from southeast end. The Cormorants and
+Gulls may be dimly seen on the summit of the Rock.]
+
+Wherever one be about Percé, in the town or out, the Rock is the
+prominent feature of the coast line. It dominates its surroundings as a
+snowcapped mountain rules its dependent ranges. To the bird lover it
+possesses a double fascination, and one is constantly attracted by the
+ceaseless cries of the throng of hovering birds, who in some
+indescribable way seem to invest their home with a sense of the charm,
+the freedom, the wildness of a sea-bird’s life. It is a true _bird_
+rock; man has no part in it.
+
+At sunset this bond between the Rock and its inhabitants seemed
+especially strong and real. Through a notch in the western hills the
+last rays of the sun fell squarely upon the Rock, illuminating it and
+the ever-present soaring Gulls after the land and the sea were in
+shadow. Slowly the light left the Rock, until it, too, was of the same
+gray-blue as its surroundings; then, like the beams from a searchlight,
+it struck the circling mass of Gulls, making them seem a flurry of
+snowflakes descending into the gloom below.
+
+The pilgrim to Percé Rock will find that the object of his journey not
+only exceeds in grandeur his brightest imagination of it, but he will be
+further rewarded by discovering Percé itself and the country round about
+to be of exceptional interest and beauty. It was the season of
+codfishing, and every morning a fleet of a hundred or more stanch little
+boats, each with two men, put out into the bay for a day’s fishing.
+Their return, late in the afternoon, was an eventful part of the day.
+Then the beach was the center of attraction as boat after boat came in,
+the men depositing their catch on the sands, then setting up their
+tables and “splitting” the cod with surprising dexterity.^{73}
+
+[Illustration: 73. Splitting cod on Percé beach. Percé Rock in the
+distance.]
+
+This industry resulted in a singular habit among the Herring Gulls,
+which, when first seen, I was at a loss to explain. In a cultivated
+hillside bordering the town a flock of about fifty Gulls was observed
+eagerly devouring some food, which was apparently abundant.
+“Grasshoppers,” I thought, but on investigation the grasshoppers proved
+to be entrails, heads, vertebræ, etc., of codfish, which had been strewn
+over the fields as fertilizer. The Gulls took wing at my approach, and
+perched in long rows on the fences; a curious sight, of which I tried,
+but failed, to secure a picture.
+
+It was through these fields, and along the crests of the red sandstone
+cliffs northwest of the town, that my walks oftenest led me. A few
+Herring Gulls nested on the ledges, and Mr. Kearton might have succeeded
+in securing the photographs of them. But I freely confess to an absence
+of both taste and talent as a cliffman, and was quite content, under the
+circumstances, to view the birds from above. They, however, had no
+scruples about approaching me, and uttering a threatening _ka-ka-ka_,
+which suggested the voice of a gigantic katydid, circled about my head
+or, with an alarming _swish_, swooped down so near me that I invariably
+was surprised into “ducking.” Here also were croaking Ravens, who seemed
+by no means shy, and on nearly every fence post was a Savanna Sparrow,
+by all odds the most abundant land bird observed.
+
+[Illustration: 74. Young Savanna Sparrow.]
+
+Turning from the cliffs, one soon reached the spruce and balsam forests,
+with their twittering Juncos, sweet-voiced White-throated Sparrows, Pine
+Finches, and numerous Warblers, and following the gently ascending lanes
+and pathways leading through the fragrant woods, arrived at the
+shrine-crowned summit of Mount St. Anne, twelve hundred feet above the
+gulf.
+
+It is a superb view of boundless sea and forest which greets one from
+this vantage point—a striking combination of the charms of land and
+water. To the south, the Bay Chaleur with its broken coast line; to the
+west, a grand panorama of mountain and valley, all densely wooded—the
+home of bear, and deer, and caribou; to the north, a foreground of red
+cliffs and blue water, and, in the distance, Gaspé; to the east, the
+apparently limitless gulf and, seemingly beneath one, Bonaventure
+Island, Percé, and the Rock.
+
+It was a view to remember; one, I trust, I may be privileged to behold
+again. I longed for time to explore the surrounding woods, but
+Bonaventure with its Gannets wielded a stronger fascination, and two
+days after our arrival we chartered a cod boat, with its crew, for the
+voyage to the Gannet rookeries on the eastern side of Bonaventure,
+distant about four miles.
+
+The evident great strength of our craft in proportion to its size made
+it seem like a stunted vessel, and her captain and the crew, of one man,
+seemed built on the same lines. During the winter they were lumbermen in
+the region north of Ottawa, in the summer codfishers. It is doubtful if
+they could have selected occupations requiring greater endurance. They
+seemed as tough as rawhide, and as rough as pirates.
+
+My good assistant they invariably spoke of as “the woman,” but both
+proved true men at heart, and as solicitous for our welfare as though
+their own lives of exposure had not trained them to laugh at hardship.
+
+I may seem to give undue attention to the boatmen of a day; but there
+are days and days in our lives, and with neither my companion nor myself
+will time dim the memory of the day off Bonaventure.
+
+There had been a heavy blow from the east the night before, the tide was
+ebbing, and ere we had passed the Rock, and while still under the lee of
+Bonaventure, our boat began to toss in a very disquieting manner. As we
+rounded the southwest end of Bonaventure we were more exposed to the
+action of the waves, but my physical balance was sustained by the
+anticipation of seeing “two, tree million of bird,” which the men
+declared would soon be visible on the cliffs.
+
+The farther we advanced the less shelter had we from the land, and
+finally, passing the northwest end of the island, we were at the mercy
+of the full force of a long rolling sea, which made it impossible to
+stand, or even sit, without clinging to one’s surroundings. At this
+point, I believe, the promise of the most wonderful sight in the bird
+world would not have induced me to continue on our course another
+minute; but fortunately no promise was required, the sight itself
+existed, and under its inspiration I battled with weak nature for the
+next half hour with a courage born of enthusiasm and a desire to picture
+the wonders of the scene before me.
+
+[Illustration: 75. The Gannet cliffs of Bonaventure.]
+
+On the ledges of the red sandstone cliffs, which rose sheer three
+hundred feet above the waves at their base, was row after row of
+snow-white Gannets on their nests.^{75} Their number was incredible, and
+as we coasted slowly onward, the red walls above us were streaked with
+white as far as one could see in either direction, and the hoarse cries
+of the birds rose in chorus above the sound of the beating waves. It was
+a wild picture, which the majesty of the cliffs and the grandeur of the
+sea rendered exceedingly impressive.
+
+How I longed for the internal composure of my boatmen! One moment I
+bowed to the waves, the next propped myself against the mast and, held
+by the captain, attempted to use the twin-lens camera. Water, cliff, and
+sky danced across the ground glass in bewildering succession, as, like a
+wing-shot, I squeezed my pneumatic bulb and snapped at the jumping sky
+line.
+
+One or two exposures were followed by collapse, and in time by partial
+recuperation, which permitted fresh efforts. In the picture presented
+the cliff is well shown, but the birds are not so numerous as in others
+less successful photographically. And during this time how fared my
+assistant? Charity forbids a reply. I will only say that, in response to
+a hail from a passing fisherman, our captain shouted, “_Son malade!_”
+
+The supply of 5 × 7 plates exhausted, we came about, and sailing before
+the wind quickly reached the leeward side of the island, where, under
+the reviving influence of calmer water, we determined to revisit the
+Gannets, this time, however, by land.
+
+Disembarking at the fishing village, which is situated on the west side
+of Bonaventure, we were soon in the spruce and balsam forests, which
+occupy all but the borders of the island, here about a mile and a half
+in width. The change from the turmoil and vastness of the sea to the
+quiet and seclusion of the forest made the previous hour’s experience
+seem distant and unreal. The wind which had roared through our rigging
+now breathed peacefully through the tree tops; the heaving, frothy sea
+was replaced by stable earth, wondrously carpeted with snow-white cornel
+and dainty twin-flowers;^{76} instead of the harsh cries of the Gannets,
+we heard the Ave Maria of the White-throated Sparrow. Rarely have the
+woods seemed so beautiful. Approaching the eastern cliffs, the trees
+became dwarfed and singularly malformed by the winds. Finally they
+disappeared altogether, and were succeeded by fields blue with iris.
+Never have I seen this plant so abundant. There were acres of flowers
+reaching to the very edge of the cliffs, where, with only a change in
+the tint, the blue of the iris faded into the blue of the sea.
+
+[Illustration: 76. Cornel or bunchberry.]
+
+We were now nearing the Gannets; desiring to secure a picture of a fully
+occupied ledge, I urged due caution, and advanced quietly to the edge of
+the cliff. The point was well chosen—almost directly beneath us, and
+about halfway down to the sea, there being a broad, rocky shelf so
+thickly dotted with nesting Gannets that every bird in the group was
+within reach of his immediately surrounding fellows.^{77} It was an
+astonishing picture of bird life, but only a fragment of what we had
+beheld from the sea. Under the circumstances, however, this fragment
+brought more satisfaction than had been before received from the entire
+Gannet colony.
+
+The 4 × 5 “Premo” was now erected, care being taken to make no move
+which would alarm the birds, and several exposures were made at leisure.
+Then changing the lens to an old “Henry Clay,” and attaching several
+elastics to the shutter, I prepared to make a flight picture of the
+birds as, at the report of my gun, they left their nests. All ready, I
+took firm hold of the bulb and gave the word to the captain to fire.
+
+The result may fairly be called a failure. As far as we could determine,
+the birds gave no evidence of hearing the shot or the others which
+followed, and our best efforts did not succeed in making a single Gannet
+leave its nest. Like Darwin’s Hawk and Moseley’s Penguins, these birds
+seemed happily ignorant of man and his ways. One could doubtless descend
+to their ledge without causing them to leave it.
+
+[Illustration: 77. A ledge of nesting Gannets. About four hundred birds
+are shown in this picture.]
+
+It is conceivable that the wearing of Gannets’ heads, or feet, or wings
+may some day become fashionable, but unless the demand be urgent and the
+price sufficient to tempt men to risk their lives, the Gannets will long
+continue to nest on the cliffs of Bonaventure.
+
+
+
+
+                             THE MAGDALENS
+
+
+From Percé to the Magdalens by sea is about a hundred and twenty miles,
+but lacking a proper vessel we were forced to return to Dalhousie and
+there take the International Railroad to Pictou, where a weekly steamer
+leaves for Prince Edward Island and the “Madalenes,” as the natives call
+them.
+
+The journey is possessed of both present and historic interest, and the
+hospitality for which the residents of Pictou are noted assures one of a
+pleasant stay in their picturesque little town. Here I met a veteran
+ornithologist—James McKinlay—who, although over threescore and ten and
+isolated from others of kindred tastes, still possesses the enthusiasm
+of the genuine naturalist. His collection, the greater part of which he
+has presented to the Pictou Academy, contains, among other birds, a
+Brown Pelican, a Corncrake, and a Chuck-will’s-widow—all shot in the
+vicinity.
+
+The Magdalen steamer is neither a yacht nor an ocean greyhound, but
+answers very well for the short voyage of a hundred and fifty miles
+across the gulf. Pictou was left at noon, and the following morning we
+awakened to find the steamer at anchor off an island with red sandstone
+cliffs, and green fields rising gently into hills clad with stunted
+spruce forests. This was at the southern end of the long sand bar which
+joins these so-called islands; and our destination, Grand Entry, near
+the northern end of the chain, was reached late in the afternoon.
+
+At this point we embarked in a small sailboat, and in a driving
+rainstorm flew before the wind across a bay two miles in width, and up
+an arm a mile or so in length, to the settlement of Grosse Isle, on the
+island of the same name. The tide was out; Black-backed Gulls were
+feeding on the flats, and Gannets fishing in the deeper water;
+Guillemots rose before the boat; a seal showed itself for a moment and
+disappeared—moving figures in a picture which impressed itself very
+vividly on my memory. A landing was made with difficulty, and a walk of
+nearly a mile through the scrubby spruces brought us to the home of the
+fisher folk, who had agreed to take us in.
+
+If Percé is isolated, Grosse Isle is in another sphere. Even the weekly
+steamer which plies between Pictou and the Magdalens from May to
+November comes no nearer than Grand Entry, and its arrival seemed a
+rather vague incident, made real only by the appearance of mail.
+
+The lobster season had just closed, the “pots” were piled in heaps on
+the beaches, and mackerel fishing was now the presumable industry of the
+male population of Grosse Isle. But few fish were running, and each day
+boat after boat of glum-looking men came in from the sea with often only
+a few cod to show for their labor. This, however, was midsummer, and the
+Grosse Isle “season” was in full swing. There was a school picnic one
+day; on another, service was held in the little white church on the
+hillside; but, as I considered the deathlike quiet which, as a rule,
+reigned in the village, I wondered what life must be there in winter.
+Then the entire Magdalen group is frozen in a sea of ice, which renders
+communication with the mainland (except by cable, generally out of
+repair) impossible. When the ice breaks in the spring, seals appear and
+furnish a hazardous occupation to those who are venturesome enough to go
+in pursuit of them—a form of sport which I imagine is eagerly welcomed
+after the lethargy of winter. With us the Magdalens were only a
+stepping-stone to Bird Rock, but while preparing for the continuation of
+our journey to that point we took some note of our surroundings.
+
+[Illustration: 78. Nest and eggs of Fox Sparrow.]
+
+The Magdalens have an interesting avifauna, but it was now the latter
+half of July and the song season of most species was over. Fox Sparrows,
+however, were still singing, and their clear, ringing whistle came from
+the spruces all about. The fogs, so characteristic of the region, seemed
+in no way to dampen their spirits, and when the gray mists closed in
+thick about us their notes rang out as cheerily as though the sun shone
+from a blue sky.
+
+My short excursions, however, were largely made along the beaches in
+search of some sea waif, and for the shore birds that would soon migrate
+through these islands in large numbers, or to the cliffs where the
+Guillemots were nesting. The latter were comparative strangers to me,
+and I had not become accustomed to the plump, black, white-winged,
+little birds that sat so lightly on the water. They nest in scattered
+pairs, in crevices, in the face of the cliffs, where my guide, Mr.
+Shelbourne, a resident collector, was particularly apt at discovering
+them.
+
+Grosse Isle is not beyond the range of the nestrobbing small boy, and
+only the few Guillemots that had contrived to escape him now had young.
+They were feeding them on sand eels, and with bills full of their
+shining prey made frequent visits to their nests. The young varied in
+development from those as yet covered only with the scanty natal down to
+others half grown and with the black and white second plumage appearing
+beneath. They were active enough to test the temper of the most patient
+bird photographer, and the accompanying picture was secured only after
+many trials.^{79}
+
+[Illustration: 79. Young Guillemots.]
+
+In the meantime we were endeavoring to make some arrangements for our
+voyage to the Rock, which on clear days could be seen from the tops of
+the higher hills—a hazy dot in the sea. Imagination peopled the view
+with Cartier, Audubon, and his successors, and I could scarcely believe
+that the scene of the wonders they had described was actually on my
+horizon. But, although only twenty miles away, Bird Rock now seemed more
+distant than before we had taken the first step of our journey. This in
+a measure is due to the uncertainty of gulf weather, the strong tides,
+the sudden and severe squalls, the prevalence of fogs, and the
+surprising rapidity with which the latter change a sunlit horizon to
+closely crowding gray walls—all of which make navigation in these waters
+more than usually dangerous. Furthermore, it is to be remembered that
+Bird Rock is not a port in which one could seek safety from a storm, but
+a spot to be approached only in the calmest weather. One might therefore
+start for the Rock under the most favorable conditions, be caught in a
+squall and, as a result, find one’s self at sea with the recently
+desired haven changed to an element of danger.
+
+With the Rock glimmering in the sunlight and apparently almost within
+reach, it was not easy to believe tales of disaster which had befallen
+those who in small boats had attempted to reach it, and I was more
+impressed with its inaccessibility by the fact that only one of the many
+fishermen with whom I talked, had ever landed on this inhospitable
+resort of sea birds.
+
+This man proved a friend in need—one Captain Hubbard Taker, of the
+thirty-ton schooner Sea Gem. I commend him to every visitor to the
+Magdalens as a man and a sailor. It was when the difficulties of
+reaching the Rock by small boat appeared insurmountable that Captain
+Taker returned from a fishing trip to the Labrador coast. He proved to
+be one of those rare but exceedingly satisfactory individuals with whom
+anything is possible, or at least who believes it is until the contrary
+is shown. Could he take us to Bird Rock? “Why, of course; and whenever
+you are ready.” So without delay we boarded the Sea Gem.
+
+
+
+
+                               BIRD ROCK
+
+
+If as a result of a conference between the birds and the Audubon Society
+a home were to be selected which should prove a secure retreat for
+certain of the feathered kind, I imagine that Bird Rock, in its primal
+condition, would have admirably filled the requirements set forth by
+both conferees.
+
+With precipitous, rocky walls weathered into innumerable ledges,
+shelves, and crevices—all fit nesting sites—one might think of it as a
+colossal lodging house for the countless sea-bird tenants who find here
+not only a suitable place for the reproduction of their young, but in
+the surrounding waters an abundant and unfailing supply of food. Add to
+these conditions the Rock’s isolation and inaccessibility, its shoreless
+outline, and the difficulty with which it may be ascended, and we have
+indeed an ideal refuge for sea fowl, one in which, unless they were
+subjected to special persecution, they might have continued to exist for
+centuries, had not the transforming influences of civilization reached
+even to this isle of the sea.
+
+Bird Rock is about fifty miles northwest of Cape Breton, the nearest
+mainland, and twelve east of Bryon Island, its next neighbor in the
+Magdalen group, to which it belongs. It is three hundred and fifty yards
+long, from fifty to one hundred and forty yards wide, and rises abruptly
+from the sea to a height of from eighty to one hundred and forty feet.
+Its outline, the nature of its base, sides, and summit are well
+indicated by the accompanying pictures.
+
+[Illustration: 80. Bird Rock from the southwest; distant about one half
+a mile.]
+
+Three quarters of a mile northeast of Bird Rock, or Great Bird, as it is
+more specifically called, lies Little Bird, a red sandstone rock which
+at high tide, or from a distance, appears as two. The shallow water
+between Great and Little Birds suggests the possibility of a past
+connection and the probability that in some future geological age the
+waves will have completed their work of destruction, when both islands
+will have disappeared.
+
+The history of these bird-inhabited islands is interesting, and gives us
+some information of the changes which man has wrought in their bird
+life. It begins with the account given by Jacques Cartier of his voyage
+to Canada in 1534. Of the Bird Rocks he wrote: “We came to three
+islands, two of which are as steep and upright as any wall, so that it
+was not possible to climb them, and between them is a little rock. These
+islands were as full of birds as any meadow is of grass, which there do
+make their nests, and in the greatest of them there was a great and
+infinite number of those that we called Margaulx, that are white and
+bigger than any geese, which were severed in one part. In the other were
+only Godetz, but toward the shore there were of those Godetz and great
+Apponatz, like to those of that island that we above have mentioned. We
+went down to the lowest part of the least island, where we killed above
+a thousand of those Godetz and Apponatz. We put into our boats as many
+as we pleased, for in less than one hour we might have filled thirty
+such boats of them. We named them the islands of the Margaulx.”
+
+Concerning this quotation Mr. F. A. Lucas remarks (The Auk, v, 1888,
+page 129): “While this description, as well as the sentences which
+immediately precede it, contains some statements that apparently are at
+variance with existing facts, there is nevertheless good reason to
+believe that Cartier here refers to the Bird Rocks in the Gulf of St.
+Lawrence. The birds called Margaulx, which bite even as dogs, were
+Gannets, whose descendants, in spite of centuries of persecution, are to
+be found to-day nesting where their ancestors did before them.
+
+“That Cartier’s description does not accord with their present
+appearance is not to be wondered at. The material of which they are
+composed is of a soft, decomposing, red sandstone that succumbs so
+easily to the incessant attacks of the sea that Dr. Bryant’s description
+of them in 1860 does not hold good to-day. If, then, the Bird Rocks have
+undergone visible changes in twenty-five years, it is easy to imagine
+how great alterations the islets may have undergone during three and a
+quarter centuries.”
+
+Examination of the narratives left by other early voyagers in this
+region would yield further information concerning the Rocks and the
+destruction of its inhabitants; but passing to records of greater
+ornithological value, we find that Audubon, whose energy in exploration
+no ornithologist has ever surpassed, was the first naturalist beholding
+Bird Rock to leave us a description of its wonders. It was during his
+cruise to Labrador in the schooner Ripley that he wrote in his journal,
+under date of June 14, 1833, the following graphic account of the day’s
+experiences:
+
+[Illustration: 81. North side of the Rock, west of the crane.]
+
+“About ten a speck rose on the horizon, which I was told was the Rock.
+We sailed well, the breeze increased fast, and we neared this object
+apace. At eleven I could distinguish its top plainly from the deck, and
+thought it covered with snow to the depth of several feet; this
+appearance existed on every portion of the flat, projecting shelves.
+Godwin said, with the coolness of a man who had visited this Rock for
+ten successive seasons, that what we saw was not snow, but Gannets. I
+rubbed my eyes, took my spyglass, and in an instant the strangest
+picture stood before me. They were birds we saw—a mass of birds of such
+a size as I never before cast my eyes on. The whole of my party stood
+astounded and amazed, and all came to the conclusion that such a sight
+was of itself sufficient to invite any one to come across the gulf to
+view it at this season. The nearer we approached the greater our
+surprise at the enormous number of these birds, all calmly seated on
+their eggs or newly hatched brood, their heads all turned to windward
+and toward us. The air above for a hundred yards, and for some distance
+around the whole Rock, was filled with Gannets on the wing, which, from
+our position, made it appear as if a heavy fall of snow was directly
+above us.” (Audubon and his Journals, i, p. 360.)
+
+From his pilot, Godwin, Audubon secured some information concerning the
+Gannets that then nested on the top of the Rock. He writes: “The whole
+surface is perfectly covered with nests, placed about two feet apart, in
+such regular order that you may look through the lines as you would look
+through those of a planted patch of sweet potatoes or cabbages. The
+fishermen who kill these birds to get their flesh for codfish bait
+ascend in parties of six or eight, armed with clubs; sometimes, indeed,
+the party comprises the crews of several vessels. As they reach the top,
+the birds, alarmed, rise with a noise like thunder, and fly off in such
+a hurried, fearful confusion as to throw each other down, often falling
+on each other until there is a bank of them many feet high. The men
+strike them down and kill them until fatigued or satisfied. Five hundred
+and forty have been thus murdered in one hour by six men. The birds are
+skinned with little care, and the flesh cut off in chunks; it will keep
+fresh about a fortnight. So great is the destruction of these birds
+annually that their flesh supplies the bait for upward of forty fishing
+boats which lie close to Bryon Island, each summer.”
+
+This slaughter was evidently attended by some danger, for not only did
+the sitting birds bite viciously, but old fishermen in the Magdalens
+state that if the invader of the Gannets’ domain on the summit of the
+Rock should have happened to be caught in a rush of stampeded birds, he
+could with difficulty have avoided being carried off the edge of the
+cliff.
+
+In concluding his description of the Rock, Audubon says: “No man who has
+not seen what we have this day can form the least idea of the impression
+the sight made on our minds.” One need not be a naturalist, therefore,
+to realize the depth of his disappointment when the pilot told him that
+the wind was too high to permit them to land on the Rock. However, they
+did not leave without at least making an attempt. A boat was launched,
+manned by the pilot, two sailors, Audubon’s son John, and Tom Lincoln,
+for whom Lincoln’s Finch, discovered subsequently in Labrador, was
+named; but after an hour’s absence they returned without having made a
+landing, and the increasing force of the wind compelled them to continue
+their voyage to the northward.
+
+Apparently the first naturalist to set foot on Bird Rock was Dr. Henry
+Bryant, of Boston, who landed there June 23, 1860. This was before the
+days of the lighthouse, and Dr. Bryant reached the top of the Rock only
+after a climb which he characterizes as both “difficult and dangerous.”
+In addition to the Gannets, which he found resting on the ledges on the
+face of the Rock, he found these birds nesting over the entire northerly
+half of the summit, and after measuring the surface occupied by them, he
+estimated that this one colony alone contained no less than one hundred
+thousand birds, while the number living on the sides of the Rock and
+Little Bird he placed at fifty thousand.
+
+The position of the Rock, at the gateway to Canadian ports, makes it
+particularly dangerous to vessels plying in these waters, and in 1869 a
+lighthouse was erected on its summit. While constructing the light
+keeper’s dwelling and storehouses, the Government built two cranes—one
+on the northerly, the other on the southerly side of the Rock—for use in
+hoisting supplies. There are also now three other places where by means
+of ladders and ropes one may ascend. The top of the Rock was thus made
+more accessible, and the birds were consequently less protected from the
+attacks of fishermen. It is said, also, that the light keepers did not
+appreciate the companionship of the Gannets, and made special efforts to
+drive the birds from the nesting site which they so long had held
+undisturbed.
+
+[Illustration: 82. A corner of the Rock.]
+
+Hence, when Mr. C. J. Maynard visited the Rock in 1872, he found that
+the colony of Gannets on its summit contained only five thousand birds,
+which, nine years later, Mr. William Brewster reports had decreased to
+fifty pairs. Mr. Brewster also noted a fresh cause for the destruction
+of the eggs of the birds nesting on the sides of the Rock, in the shape
+of a cannon which had been introduced shortly before his visit. He
+writes: “At each discharge the frightened Murres fly from the Rock in
+clouds, nearly every sitting bird taking its egg into the air between
+its thighs and dropping it after flying a few yards. This was repeatedly
+observed during our visit, and more than once a perfect shower of eggs
+fell into the water about our boat.” While the birds have become
+comparatively accustomed to the report of the guncotton bomb, which has
+succeeded the cannon, large numbers still leave the Rock each time a
+bomb is exploded, so that it continues to be a means of destroying not
+only eggs but young birds, which are carried off the narrow ledges by
+the precipitous flight of their parents.
+
+Since that date (1881) Cory, Lucas, Palmer, Bishop, and doubtless
+others, have visited Bird Rock, but with the entire disappearance of the
+Gannets from its summit no attempt has been made to estimate the further
+decrease in the number of its feathered inhabitants.
+
+In spite of the great diminution which this outline of its history shows
+to have occurred in Bird Rock’s population, the casual observer of
+to-day will believe with difficulty that it could ever have been more
+densely inhabited. It is still one of the ornithological wonders of our
+Atlantic coast, and, comparatively speaking, as well worth visiting as
+in the time of Audubon.
+
+Writing now in the light of experience, I anticipate a return to Bird
+Rock with even more enthusiasm than I felt when after the discouraging
+uncertainties of delay we boarded the Sea Gem on the afternoon of July
+23d, and with a fair wind set sail for Bryon, where we were to anchor
+for the night.
+
+What a stanch, powerful vessel the little schooner seemed when compared
+with the fishing boats in which we had at first prepared to make the
+voyage! Investigation below, however, did not seem to offer prospects of
+undisturbed repose, and reaching Bryon late in the afternoon we decided
+to go ashore and apply to the island’s owner for a night’s lodging.
+Bryon Island, with its several thousand acres of stunted spruce and
+balsam forests, its rolling pasture lands and grazing cows and sheep,
+its precipitous red sandstone cliffs rising to a height of two hundred
+feet from the sea and furnishing a home for a few Murres and Puffins, is
+the property of one man, who purchased it from the Government for a
+nominal sum. A lobster cannery furnishes employment for twoscore or more
+itinerant fishermen and laborers, who after the lobstering season ends
+in July remain for the mackerel fishing. When they have departed the
+population of Bryon is reduced to about half a dozen families, over whom
+the owner reigns supreme.
+
+We landed at the cannery and wended our way over a path through the
+stunted forests, which at the end of a mile or more led us to the
+monarch’s home—a small frame house adjoining large barns.
+
+The ruler of Bryon proved to be absent in the Magdalens, but his wife
+made us both welcome and comfortable. We recall with pleasure the night
+passed beneath her roof, and the magnificent view of the setting sun
+from Bryon’s red cliffs.
+
+We awoke in the clouds, gulf clouds, which so often in swift-spreading
+banks envelop both sea and land in this region. It was ten o’clock
+before the sun could force its way through them, and when we returned to
+the Sea Gem we found the captain impatient at our tardiness. We
+explained that of course we did not suppose that he would care to start
+in so dense a fog, but he laughed at us. “Fog!” What had fog to do with
+sailing when the wind was favorable? Later he gave us an exhibition of
+seamanship in a fog which deeply engraved the name of Captain Taker on
+our memories.
+
+However, the wind still held from the right quarter not only for the run
+to the Rock, but for a landing on its one bit of beach, and we quickly
+hoisted sail for this last stage of a long journey.
+
+For two hours we watched the Rock grow slowly larger, then its outlines
+more rapidly assumed individuality, the lighthouse and other buildings
+on its summit took definite form, its rocky ledges were seen to be lined
+with rows of white Gannets, and Bird Rock became for us a reality. The
+storm of circling birds which Audubon described is not to be seen
+to-day, but enough are left to quickly exhaust our stock of adjectives.
+
+A British flag was displayed from the tall staff near the lighthouse. If
+it had been marked with stars and bars it would have looked less like a
+signal set as a greeting from the island’s keeper to his unknown guests.
+
+A figure on the rock now vigorously motioned us toward its only landing
+place, and heaving to the schooner we dropped a dory overboard and sent
+Captain Taker ashore as our emissary to treat with the representative of
+the Canadian Government, and explain to him that through the courtesy of
+his chief, the Hon. J. U. Gregory, we were empowered to invade the
+territory under his control. At the end of half an hour a large dory,
+manned by two oarsmen, appeared from behind the Rock and headed for the
+schooner. In the stern was Captain Taker, in the bow a stranger whose
+face was eloquent with an unspoken welcome. This was Keeper Captain
+Peter Bourque. If we had been at the head of the Lighthouse Board
+itself, he could not have received us more cordially. What a hunger he
+had for news! Nearly two months had elapsed since he had heard from the
+world—months rich with the history of the defeat of Cervera and
+surrender of Santiago.
+
+[Illustration: 83. The landing at the base of the Rock, showing crate.]
+
+[Illustration: 84. The landing on top of the Rock, showing crane. The
+Kittiwakes at the bottom of the picture are shown in No. 85.]
+
+Our outfit was speedily placed in the dory, and with the Rock and its
+birds now looming high above us, we pulled for the bit of rock-fringed
+beach which constitutes the only available landing place. It was already
+evident that the island offered endless opportunities to the bird
+photographer, and as each stroke of the oars brought us nearer I felt a
+sense of exultation, such perhaps as a miner experiences when he
+discovers that his claim promises an assured fortune. The boat was
+beached with a rush, and landing at the base of the cliff,^{83} which
+rose like a wall somewhat over one hundred feet above us one could
+realize the danger attending an attempt to land here in anything but the
+calmest weather. We were now introduced to the car or basket in which we
+were to make actually the final stage of our journey. It seemed a frail,
+cratelike affair of light strips of wood, and measured about two and a
+half feet square and three feet high. After our cameras, plates, gun,
+ammunition, etc., had been snugly stowed, we obeyed the direction to
+enter the crate and take seats on bits of board placed across opposite
+corners. The end of the long, dangling rope was attached, in response to
+Captain Bourque’s roaring “Hoist away!” a faint reply came from the tiny
+figure which in a sickening way had been leaning over the edge of the
+rock above, watching our proceedings, and a moment later the rope
+tightened, strained, and we were clear of the ground and slowly rising.
+A long experience in elevators had made me anticipate this part of the
+Bird Rock journey without concern, but the instant after the ascent
+began I discovered that we were not only going up but around as well,
+and the twisting motion was so novel, so unlike anything to which I had
+previously been accustomed, that I confess to a feeling of surprise, to
+say the least. The sudden jars, as the rope in winding slipped off the
+preceding coil and dropped suddenly, perhaps an inch, gave us a
+sufficiently clear idea of the feelings which would attend the beginning
+of a fall, and it was with a decided sense of having had a narrow escape
+that, on being hoisted slightly above the level of the summit of the
+Rock, we saw the arm of the crane^{84} pulled inward, bringing the crate
+over the land, to which we were gently lowered.
+
+The twenty years which have elapsed since Cory visited the Rock have
+reduced the time required for the ascent from twenty-seven to six
+minutes. The world moves, therefore, even at Bird Rock.
+
+To a naturalist this slow passage through the air, about six feet from
+ledge after ledge, crevice above crevice, filled with Kittiwakes,^{85}
+Murres, and Razorbills, with great white banks of snowy Gannets on
+either side, possesses an almost stupefying fascination. The birds were
+so abundant and showed such entire lack of fear, I seemed to have
+reached, if not the heart, at least one of the most important centers of
+the bird world.
+
+Alighting from the crate, we were greeted by Mr. Bourque’s two
+assistants and his daughter, a girl of sixteen, who, with a third
+assistant, now absent on leave, completed the population of the island.
+There should be added, however, one cow—an important member of the Rock
+colony, who had reached her elevated position in life by means of the
+same apparatus with which we had just gratefully parted company.
+Numerous buildings,^{86} which we had barely noticed from the sea, were
+found to form a miniature village on the grassy, nearly level summit of
+the Rock, giving to the scene an atmosphere of comfort and homeliness
+which strongly emphasized one’s sense of isolation.
+
+[Illustration: 85. Kittiwakes and young on nests. From the crate.]
+
+[Illustration: 86. The lighthouse, keeper’s dwelling, and other
+buildings.]
+
+The favorable light prevailing at the time of our arrival was far too
+valuable to be used for anything but photography. No sooner, therefore,
+was our luggage removed from the crate than, without waiting to inspect
+our quarters, I made ready the cameras and plate-holders. The latter,
+numbering twenty-one, furnished forty-two glass plates. I wished for
+twice that number before the day ended. Going to the western end of the
+Rock, now brightly illumined by the afternoon sun, I found that the
+jutting, shaly ledges permitted one to descend easily, and in a moment I
+was in the midst of groups^1 of Puffins, Razorbills, Brünnich’s and
+Common Murres, who apparently regarded me with as much surprise and
+interest as I did them, and exhibited an astonishing confidence in
+mankind. In fact, I was at times vigorously scolded by some Murre
+parent, who waddled toward me, bobbing her head, and uttering a series
+of protesting _murres_ in a tone so like that of a bass-voiced man, I
+half expected a larger biped to appear.
+
+[Illustration: 87. Razorbilled Auks and “Ringed” Murre. × 3.]
+
+The Razorbills were fully as tame, sometimes leaving their crevices in
+the cliff and, with a hoarse croak, almost flying in my face, while the
+Puffins exhibited a spirit of combined indifference and independence,
+which plainly said, “This Rock is ours.”
+
+I sat down on a convenient ledge, and as the birds gathered about me in
+rows and groups on the border of the cliff, its ledges and projections,
+I seemed almost to be on speaking terms with them. So unusual and
+pleasing was this experience of having birds admit me at once to the
+inner circles of their society that I felt as though I had indeed been
+initiated into their ranks; and my enjoyment of the strange scene was
+heightened tenfold by the knowledge that I could satisfactorily record
+it. So I prepared the twin-lens—a camera exactly adapted to my present
+needs—and at a distance of twenty feet or thereabouts loaded and fired
+as many times as I pleased, with the birds none the wiser, and offering
+me each moment some new picture differing in composition from the last.
+Here was a triumph for the bird photographer. Who so nearly could have
+done justice to the subject? The taxidermist? One shot would have broken
+the spell? The artist? Whose pencil could compete with the lens in the
+convincing realism of its impression?
+
+But as yet I had seen only a fragment of the Rock. Climbing, therefore,
+from ledge to ledge, I reached a corner where an abrupt turn exposed a
+great expanse of perpendicular wall so inaccessible to man that it had
+become a favorite nesting site for the birds.^{82} Here were gathered
+Gannets, Murres, Razorbills, and Kittiwakes, distributed singly or in
+rows, according to the nature of the shelves or ledges on which they
+were nesting, the Gannets taking the widest, the Murres and Kittiwakes
+the narrowest ledges, while the Razorbills sought the more sheltered
+crevices.
+
+What noise and seeming confusion were here! A never-ceasing chorus in
+which the loud, grating _gor-r-r-rok, gor-r-rrok_ of the Gannets
+predominated, while the singularly human call of the Murres and the
+hoarse note of the Razorbills formed an accompaniment. Occasionally the
+Kittiwakes found cause for excitement, and hundreds of birds swooped
+downward from their nests and circled about, calling their rapidly
+uttered, distinctly enunciated _kít-ti-wake, kít-ti-wake_.
+
+[Illustration: 88. Puffins. × 2.]
+
+In addition to the great number of birds resting or nesting on the Rock,
+an endless procession of Gannets, Puffins, and Razorbills were flying
+around, but never over it. Unconsciously one expected a pause in this
+whirling throng, but although its numbers fluctuated, birds were always
+passing. The exposure of my last plate recalled me to a sense of other
+duties, and when I had returned to the little group of buildings with
+their inhabitants, I seemed to have been in another sphere.
+
+My object in visiting Bird Rock was not only to secure pictures of its
+bird life, but a certain number of birds for the American Museum of
+Natural History, where it is proposed to represent a portion of the Rock
+with its tenants. During my absence in the world of birds my good
+assistant had turned one of the supply houses into a laboratory, and was
+already at work preparing specimens with which the active Shelbourne and
+attentive keepers had plentifully supplied her.
+
+A gun was necessary only in securing Gannets and Kittiwakes, the Murres
+and Razorbills being caught in a dip-net by the keepers; one of whom,
+having a rope about his waist which was held by his associate, advanced
+to the edge of the cliff or “cape,” as it is termed locally, and looked
+cautiously over in quest of the birds resting on the ledges immediately
+below. Having learned their position the net was thrust quickly
+downward, and the birds, in attempting to escape, often flew directly
+into it and became entangled in its meshes. Puffins were captured on
+their nests in crevices in the face of the Rock or in the holes they had
+burrowed in the earth on the top. The latter were sometimes shared with
+Leach’s Petrel, who also occupied small burrows of their own.
+
+The schooner had dropped anchor near the Rock, but the wind increasing
+in strength, Captain Taker set sail for the lee of Bryon, and at
+midnight, when we concluded our day’s work, there was a promise of a
+stormy morrow, which daylight fulfilled. The wind drove the waves to the
+rock-set base of our islet with terrific force, making landing or
+departure out of the question. We had come just in time. The light
+prohibited successful photography, and the day was devoted to collecting
+and preserving specimens and exploring the Rock.
+
+[Illustration: 89. Murre’s egg.]
+
+We had arrived in the height of the nesting season, all of the seven
+species breeding on the Rock having eggs and young in various stages of
+development. It was evident, however, that the number of eggs and young
+was small as compared with the number of adults, a condition which was
+explained by Captain Bourque’s statement, that he thought about five
+thousand eggs had been taken from the Rock by fishermen that year. These
+were the eggs of Murres and Razorbills, the former being the most
+abundant birds on the Rock. Both the Common and Brünnich’s Murre were
+present, but I am unable to say which was the more numerous. There were
+also a few of the singular, so-called “Ringed” Murres,^{87} a bird whose
+standing is in doubt, some ornithologists regarding it as a distinct
+species, others as an individual variety.
+
+Both species of Murre laid their single peculiarly marked eggs on the
+bare shelves or ledges in the most exposed situations;^{89} and seeing
+them now for the first time in Nature, I was quite willing to accept the
+theory which has been advanced to account for their markedly toplike or
+pearlike shape. A round or elliptical egg, laid in the situations often
+chosen by the Murres, would, when moved by the wind or incubating bird,
+readily roll from its precarious position, but the pointed egg of the
+Murre when disturbed describes a circle about its own end. Thus, like a
+diplomat, it seemingly yields to superior force while retaining its
+original position. The eggs vary in color from greenish blue to buff,
+and are strikingly scrawled and blotched with shades of chocolate. No
+two are alike, a fact which it is supposed may aid the parent Murre in
+distinguishing her own egg among the dozens with which it may be placed.
+
+[Illustration: 90. Young Murres and egg.]
+
+The few eggs seen were doubtless laid by birds which had been robbed
+earlier in the season, but young were found in every stage, from the
+newly hatched downy chick,^{90} who sat on his narrow ledge vigorously
+screeching for food, to others half grown and with the natal down almost
+entirely replaced by the first winter plumage. The parents were still in
+attendance on the oldest birds, and no young were seen in the water.
+
+[Illustration: 91. Kittiwakes and young on nest. From the crate. × 2. An
+enlarged detail of No. 85.]
+
+Razorbills, perhaps because the Rock contained comparatively few of the
+sheltered nooks they require for nesting sites, were less abundant than
+Murres. Their downy young were much lighter in color than the young of
+the Murres, and their high squealing whistle could easily be
+distinguished from the screech of the young Murres. Of two specimens
+which had nearly completed the acquisition of their winter plumage, one
+had the white line from the eye to the bill so characteristic of the
+adult fully developed, while in the other it was wholly wanting—a
+variability in marking which suggests that the white stripe of the
+Ringed Murre is a similar individual peculiarity.
+
+Next to the Murres the Kittiwakes are probably the most numerous birds
+on the Rock. Doubtless for the reason that they select the less
+accessible ledges where their eggs can not be so readily taken, their
+young were more advanced than those of any other of the birds breeding
+here. Their nests, rather bulky structures of seaweed, which often
+projected well over the edge of the ledge on which they were built,
+contained only young with their parents, one or two birds constituting a
+brood.^{91}
+
+[Illustration: 92. Entrance to Puffin’s burrow.]
+
+Kittiwakes were never observed perching on the upper ledges or rim of
+the Rock in the situations commonly selected by Murres, Razorbills, and
+Puffins. The last-named species, in fact, was never seen resting far
+from the top of the Rock, and its nests were placed in burrows excavated
+on the summit of the Rock, at the west end. Occasionally advantage was
+taken of an opening beneath a ledge, but generally the bird excavated a
+hole,^{92} about four inches in diameter and three or four feet in
+length, at the end of which we found the nest of grasses and feathers,
+with its single elliptical white egg^{93} and sitting bird, or a sooty,
+down-covered nestling.^{94}
+
+[Illustration: 93. Puffin’s nest and egg at the end of excavated
+burrow.]
+
+Woe to the unsuspecting person who thrusts his hand into the jaw, one
+might say, of an incubating Puffin. Nature has not only provided the
+bird with an uncommonly powerful and efficient pair of mandibles, but
+also with a disposition which prompts it to use them to the best
+advantage. Never have I seen anything in the shape of a bird so
+diabolically vicious as a Puffin. An individual which we captured alive
+and attempted to study in our workroom, proved altogether too fierce a
+creature to have about, and its hoarse voice—half grunt, half
+groan—added to its unattractiveness.
+
+[Illustration: 94. Young Puffin on nest at the end of burrow.]
+
+In Nature, however, their trim appearance was very pleasing;
+_Paroquets_, the French-Canadians call them, and one has only to see the
+bird in life to appreciate the applicability of the name. It is not
+alone their looks but also their actions which suggest the Parrot.
+Unlike the Murres and Razorbills, they do not rest on the whole foot,
+but stand quite erect on the toes alone, and run about with the
+characteristic pattering steps of Parrots. When the wind blew fresh from
+the sea they often faced it, hovering a foot or two above the rocks on
+outstretched, motionless wings, and retaining for several seconds this
+perfect balance between gravity and air pressure.
+
+It is quite possible that I may have wholly misjudged the Puffin’s
+character, and that when unmolested their nature is peaceable in
+extreme. At any rate, they seem to be not only on excellent terms with
+their own kind, but with the very distantly related Leach’s Petrels,
+with which they sometimes shared their underground homes, one bird’s
+nest being at the end of the burrow, the other about half way to the
+entrance. The Petrels also occupied burrows of their own, which, judging
+from the actions of the birds found in them, they had excavated by the
+aid of their toes.^{95}
+
+[Illustration: 95. Leach’s Petrel on nest at end of excavated burrow.]
+
+The Petrel’s nests were composed of fine grasses and a few feathers, and
+one nest contained two bits of white birch bark, the presence of which
+raised the question as to whether these gleaners of the sea do not
+gather suitable nesting material when they find it floating on the
+surface of the water. Two of the eight or ten Petrels’ nests examined
+contained a single white egg; one egg constituting a full set with this
+species, as with all the other rock-nesting birds, except the Kittiwake.
+The remaining nests were each occupied by a newly hatched young bird—a
+gray ball of down, so unlike anything in feathers I had ever seen that,
+if it had not been for their tiny, young chickenlike _peep_, I should
+have been inclined to pass it by as a wad of gray cotton.^{96} Never
+more than one of the parent birds, either the male or female, was found
+on the nest, nor was a single Petrel seen about the Rock during the day.
+
+[Illustration: 96. Young Leach’s Petrel removed from burrow with nesting
+material.]
+
+The Puffins and Petrels are now the only birds nesting on the summit of
+the Rock, not a single descendant of the one hundred thousand Gannets
+which, according to Bryant, occupied the top of the Rock in 1860 now
+being found there. To-day this species nests only on the less accessible
+border ledges on the face of the Rock, where they are grouped in
+colonies. Most of them were incubating, but several were brooding their
+young, which ranged in size from the naked, black-skinned, newly hatched
+chick to those that had acquired the white, swan’s-downlike first
+plumage.^{97}
+
+With the exception of two white, black-spotted birds, all the Gannets
+seen, both on Bird Rock and Bonaventure, were in the adult white
+plumage, and if, as has been stated, this plumage is not gained until
+the bird is two years old, the question arises, What becomes of the
+immature birds during the nesting season?
+
+[Illustration: 97. Young Gannet.]
+
+An estimate of the number of individuals representing the seven species
+just mentioned as nesting on the Rock, is perhaps not warranted by my
+brief experience, nor should I attempt to give one, did not my
+photographs permit me to count with a fair degree of accuracy the number
+of birds in view on that part of the Rock shown in these pictures. Time
+was lacking to make, from a boat, a series of photographs of the Rock
+which would include all its bird-inhabited portions, and the appended
+estimates are based on the results of a count of the birds in
+photographs of about one half the occupied area. Murres, Razorbills, and
+Puffins can not be distinguished in these pictures and are therefore
+grouped under one head, it being calculated that about from fifteen
+hundred to two thousand individuals of these species make the Rock their
+home. Of this number probably not more than one hundred are Puffins,
+while the Common and Brünnich’s Murres (_Uria troile et U. lomvia_)
+outnumber the Razorbills at least four to one.
+
+[Illustration: 98. Gannets. × 3. An enlarged detail of No. 99.]
+
+The Kittiwake population of the Rock probably numbers between six
+hundred and eight hundred birds; of Gannets, there are perhaps left only
+fifteen hundred of the more than one hundred thousand birds which Dr.
+Bryant writes of as living on the top of the Rock alone; and of Petrels,
+not more than fifty.
+
+When on the Rock I should have said that it was tenanted by at least ten
+thousand birds, and I was not a little surprised to find that the
+evidence furnished by my photographic records gave a total of about four
+thousand birds. However, the sight of four thousand birds domiciled in
+one small islet is sufficiently impressive to increase the pulse beat of
+the most phlegmatic traveler; and even if this estimate be too large,
+the Rock’s merits as a bird resort are too substantial to be affected by
+any decrease in it which truth demands.
+
+To return to an account of the day’s doings, the light, as has been
+said, was unfavorable for photography, and the time was devoted to
+collecting and preparing specimens and making a hurried survey of the
+bird rookeries on the Rock, with results briefly set forth above; but
+late in the afternoon the sun gave indications of its whereabouts behind
+the clouds, and I immediately substituted the camera for the scalpel,
+and had Keeper Bourque lower me in the crate in order that I might
+secure photographs of the birds observed on our ascent.
+
+Neither the stability of the crate nor its constant turning were
+conditions which a photographer would choose, and, without the twin-lens
+it would have been impossible to secure pictures of the Kittiwakes^{85}
+and Murres, who in a surprised but unalarmed manner regarded me from
+their nests on the Rock, in some instances at a distance of not more
+than six feet.
+
+At ten o’clock at night I visited the west end of the Rock to see and
+hear the Petrels that nest there. The casual visitor to Bird Rock would
+be quite unaware of the presence of these birds; indeed, one might live
+there for years without knowing that Petrels made it their home. As far
+as the Rock is concerned, the birds are strictly nocturnal; but as
+usually only one bird—either male or female—is found on the nest, it is
+supposed that its mate is at sea feeding. If this supposition be true, I
+am at a loss to account for the entire absence of the birds during the
+daytime. Why should they not return to their nests before nightfall? And
+if, as stated, the sea bird takes the place of the nest bird, does the
+latter always feed at night and the former by day, or do they sometimes
+change about, thus making the same individual both nocturnal and diurnal
+in habit?
+
+However this may be, I had no sooner reached the part of the Rock
+tenanted by the Petrels than I was given the most surprising evidence of
+their activity during the night. From the ground at my feet and on every
+side there issued the uncanny little song—if I may so call it—of birds
+doubtless sitting at the mouths of their burrows. It was not like the
+cry of a sea bird, but a distinctly enunciated call of eight notes,
+possessing a character wholly its own, and not to be compared to the
+notes of any bird I have ever heard, though at the time it impressed me
+as having a certain crowing quality. Such a call might be uttered by
+elves or brownies. Occasionally I saw a blur of wings as a bird passed
+between me and the lighthouse.
+
+[Illustration: 99. Gannets on nests.]
+
+Later, the fog, which had been scudding over us in wisps and ribbons,
+closed in, and through the medium of a guncotton bomb the Rock gave
+notice of its presence to the mariners who might be in the surrounding
+waters. Captain Taker heard the dull, booming voice as with
+disappointing promptness he came to take us from the Rock, and early in
+the morning we heard his fog horn from the gray bank below telling where
+the Sea Gem, as yet unseen, was anchored.
+
+In the hope of better weather I deferred photographing the Gannets, the
+only accessible colony of which was on the north side of the Rock; but
+forced now to make the best of the existing conditions, I took the
+twin-lens, fastened one end of a rope about my waist, and gave the other
+end to Captain Bourque, in order that, unhampered by thought of fall, I
+might creep along the slippery ledges where the birds nested.^{99}
+
+The fog had lifted, but the day was gloomy, and only the white plumage
+of the birds and a wide-open lens yielded successful photographs.
+
+It was my first visit to the big white birds, who, in spite of
+persecution, have as yet acquired but little fear of man, and as with
+hoarse croaks and a dashing of wings they pitched onto the narrow ledges
+near me, their size and boldness, in connection with my somewhat
+insecure footing, aroused in me a feeling which I had not experienced
+when surrounded by the smaller Murres, Auks, and Puffins. The main
+nesting ledge was out of reach below, but small groups of birds were
+nearer, and these I photographed at a distance of about ten feet.^{100}
+
+These Gannets are magnificent birds, and when on the wing exhibit a
+combination of power and grace excelled by no other bird I have seen.
+They are most impressive when diving, as with half-closed wings, like
+great spearheads, they descend from a height of about forty feet with a
+force and speed that takes them wholly out of sight, and splashes the
+water ten feet or more into the air. Cory graphically compares the sight
+of a distant flock of Gannets diving at a school of fish, to a
+continuous stream of beans poured from a pail.
+
+[Illustration: 100. Gannet on nest. Two nests in foreground.]
+
+Captain Bourque tells me that Gannets are no longer used for bait by the
+codfishers; but when one realizes that only two colonies of these grand
+birds, comprising a few thousand individuals, are all that are left of
+the species in this hemisphere, one could wish for these survivors
+something more than negative protection.
+
+In the afternoon the weather gave promise of clearing, and entering the
+crate we were swung out over the edge of the Rock on the first stage of
+our homeward journey. The collections and outfit were placed aboard the
+schooner, while in a dory we attempted to visit Little Bird; but before
+we had rowed a quarter of a mile the fog crept back, Great Bird slowly
+disappeared from view and became only a periodic boom in the gray wall,
+and we returned to the schooner without delay.
+
+The sail to Bryon, where we passed the night, apparently demonstrated
+Captain Taker’s possession of the sense of direction. In spite of a head
+wind, violent squalls, and a strong tide, he made his way through the
+fog with perfect assurance and dropped anchor at a particular lobster
+buoy, visible less than fifty yards from the schooner, but which in
+effect he appeared to have seen before we left the Rock. It was a
+remarkable bit of seamanship.
+
+In Bird Rock the Canadian Government possesses an object of surpassing
+interest, one which, south of Greenland, is unique in eastern North
+America. It is the obvious duty of the proper authorities to preserve
+it, and the ease with which this can be done makes further neglect
+inexcusable. The appointment of the light keeper as a game warden is the
+only step required to make Bird Rock a safe retreat for sea fowl, until,
+in some future geologic age, it shall have yielded to the relentless
+attack of the waters.
+
+
+
+
+  LIFE ON PELICAN ISLAND, WITH SOME SPECULATIONS ON THE ORIGIN OF BIRD
+                               MIGRATION
+
+
+The study of isolated colonies of birds, particularly of those situated
+on islands, throws much light on several as yet little-understood
+problems of bird migration.
+
+With mainland birds of general distribution—the Robin, for example—the
+individual is, except when nesting, lost in the species, and unless the
+bird be peculiarly marked who can say whether the Robins which nest with
+us one year are the same as those of the preceding season—where our
+summer Robins winter, or our winter Robins summer? and who can tell
+whether the first Robins to come in the spring are our summer resident
+birds, or early migrants _en route_ to more northern nesting grounds?
+
+In the case of certain island-inhabiting birds, however, some of these
+questions may be answered with a fair degree of certainty. Thus Ipswich
+Sparrows are known to nest only on Sable Island, off the Nova Scotia
+coast, and we are warranted in believing that the same birds, fate
+permitting, return to their sandy home year after year. Gannets (_Sula
+bassana_) nest in the western hemisphere only on three islets in the
+Gulf of St. Lawrence, and it is probable that the surviving individuals
+return each year to their former breeding grounds. The Terns of Muskeget
+and Penikese, forming the only two large colonies of these birds
+remaining on the Atlantic coast, return to their island retreats every
+spring; and actuated by this same love of home, the Brown Pelicans of
+the Indian River region of eastern Florida annually repair to a certain
+small island for the purpose of rearing their young. Many similar cases
+might be cited in confirmation of the belief—supported also by isolated
+observations on the mainland—that birds nest in the same locality
+throughout their lives, and, on occasion, may even occupy their previous
+season’s nest.
+
+As regards the manner in which these island-inhabiting birds arrive at
+the nesting grounds, as far as our recorded information goes, it seems
+that without relation to latitude they appear each spring with
+remarkable regularity, not straggling back a few at a time, but sending
+on an advance guard, which usually remains only a short time and is
+followed, a few days later, by apparently the entire colony.
+
+Thus, Mackay writes of the Terns of Penikese: “In 1893 the Terns arrived
+on May 10th, in the night, an advance guard of several hundred being
+noted early the following morning at daylight; these all left before
+noon of the 11th, and on the morning of the 12th, before daylight,
+immense numbers had again arrived.... In 1896 the Terns commenced to
+arrive during the night of May 9th; they were in evidence at daylight on
+the 10th, and continued to arrive all day, and on the morning of the
+11th the usual colony had taken possession of the island.” (Auk, xiv,
+1897, p. 284.)
+
+The migration of the island-nesting Terns in the tropics is apparently
+no less regular. Scott states that the Noddy arrived in the Tortugas “on
+April 20th in large numbers, but remained only two days; after
+inspecting their breeding grounds, all departed to return about a week
+later in greatly increased numbers, when breeding was almost at once
+commenced.” (Auk, vii, 1890, p. 306.)
+
+These insular colonies, however, not only throw much light on certain
+existing phases of bird migration, but they also furnish us with a clew
+to the origin of migration itself. This is especially true of those
+species whose lives are passed in the tropics or subtropics, and which
+we are accustomed to class as nonmigratory or as “permanent residents,”
+but which are as regularly migratory, in the real meaning of the word,
+as if they summered within the arctic circle and wintered south of the
+equator.
+
+Their movements are apparently in no way influenced by climate nor, at
+this season, are they governed by the food supply, but prompted solely
+by the annually recurring physiological change which fits both sexes for
+reproduction, they repair to a certain islet, perhaps in the heart of
+their range, with the one object of finding a suitable nesting site in
+which their eggs may be laid and young reared in safety; and this object
+accomplished, they desert the locality, where they may be unknown until
+the following spring.
+
+Divested, therefore, of the complications which ensue when in studying
+the migration of birds the questions of food and climate must be
+considered, we have here the problem reduced to its simplest terms; and
+in the desire for seclusion during the breeding season which induces
+birds to conceal their nests, if possible perhaps near by, but if
+necessary after a journey of varying length undertaken especially for
+the purpose, we have a good and sufficient cause for the origin of bird
+migration.
+
+An attempt to explain the present manifestation of the migratory
+movement involves a study of the climatic changes to which our globe has
+been subjected. No doubt many birds controlled by “heredity of habit”
+make semiannual journeys which at one time were necessary, but under
+existing circumstances are no longer required. Why, for example, should
+the Bobolink winter south of the Amazon, while its ally, the Red-winged
+Blackbird (_Agelaius phœniceus_), does not leave the eastern United
+States? I have, however, no intention of writing an essay on bird
+migration, and these thoughts are presented merely as preliminary to a
+study of the life of Pelican Island, of a visit to which they are in
+part the outcome.
+
+Pelican Island is situated midway between the northern and southern
+extremities of Indian River, near the eastern shore of a key which here
+makes the river about three miles wide. It is triangular in shape and
+contains about three acres of ground, on which grow a few black
+mangroves, a cabbage palm or two, and great patches of grass; but at
+least one fourth of its surface is bare ground.
+
+On one of the islands of the near-by Narrows a few pairs of Brown
+Pelicans are said to have nested, but, with this exception, Pelican
+Island doubtless forms the nesting ground of all the Pelicans of Indian
+River.
+
+The question why the birds should select this particular island in
+preference to the scores of others which, to the human eye, appear to be
+equally well suited to their needs, is a difficult one to answer.
+Perhaps no true selection is shown by the existing birds, which, as with
+many other island-inhabiting species, may be the survivors of a once
+more widely distributed species, who have been preserved by the
+protection afforded by their island home. Such a colony might owe its
+beginning to a pair of birds who were the true selectors of the site of
+the future colony. The preserving influences of the situation were
+potent from the beginning. The first brood reached maturity without
+mishap, and in response to the instinct which prompts a bird to return
+to the region of its birth, they, with successive generations, came back
+and eventually established the prevailing conditions.
+
+The attachment of these Pelicans for their home affords a remarkable
+illustration of the power of habit. Ever since the Indian River region
+has been subject to annual invasion by tourists, among whom the man with
+the gun is conspicuous both by numbers and actions, the inhabitants of
+Pelican Island have been wantonly and, on occasions, brutally
+persecuted. Scarcely a day passes during February and March that one or
+more boat loads of tourists, perhaps from the mainland or a passing
+yacht, do not land on Pelican Island and thoughtlessly cause the death
+of many young birds by driving them from the vicinity of their nests;
+or, by frightening the brooding birds, they expose the newly hatched and
+naked nestlings to the roasting rays of the sun. The harm caused by
+these visitors, however, is not to be compared to that wrought by
+so-called “sportsmen,” who, in defiance of every law of manhood, have
+gone to Pelican Island and killed thousands of the birds simply because
+they afforded a ready mark for their guns. They had not even the excuse
+of a demand upon their skill, and must indeed have been very near the
+level of the brute to have found pleasure in killing birds which the
+merest novice with a gun would find it difficult to miss.
+
+Perhaps even worse than this exhibition of pure savagery are the raids
+of the self-styled “oölogists,” who, in the name of science—save the
+mark!—have journeyed to Pelican Island with the express purpose of
+taking every egg they could lay their insatiable fingers upon, afterward
+to boast, in some journal devoted to reporting similar crimes, of the
+hundreds they had collected in so many hours.
+
+So persistently have the Pelicans been molested that at times they have
+been foiled to desert their beloved island; but they have exhibited
+their attachment for it by establishing themselves on the nearest
+available islet, and on the first opportunity have returned to their
+native land.
+
+It was in March, 1898, that my best assistant and I boarded the little
+sloop which was to take us to Pelican Island. Fortunately the birds were
+now in possession of their ancestral domain, and, as we approached,
+files of Pelicans were seen returning from fishing expeditions, platoons
+were resting on the sandy points, some were bathing, others sailing in
+broad circles high overhead. Soon we could hear the sound of many
+voices—a medley of strange cries in an unknown tongue. Arriving and
+departing on wings, the inhabitants of Pelican Island have little need
+of deep water harbors, and we were obliged to anchor our sloop about a
+hundred yards from the island and go ashore in a small boat.
+
+[Illustration: 101. Pelicans on ground nests.]
+
+No traveler ever entered the gates of a foreign city with greater
+expectancy than I felt as I stepped from my boat on the muddy edge of
+this City of the Pelicans. The old birds, without a word of protest,
+deserted their homes, leaving their eggs and young at my mercy. But the
+young were as abusive and threatening as their parents were silent and
+unresisting. Some were on the ground, others in the bushy mangroves,
+some were coming from the egg, others were learning to fly; but one and
+all—in a chorus of croaks, barks, and screams, which rings in my ears
+whenever I think of the experience—united in demanding that I leave the
+town. If I approached too near, their cries were doubled in violence and
+accompanied by vicious lunges with their bills, which were snapped
+together with a pistol-like report.^{102} As I walked from tree to tree,
+examining the noisy young birds that were climbing about the branches, I
+seemed to be passing from cage to cage in a zoölogical garden; and as I
+entered that part of the island where the nests were on the
+ground,^{101} every bird that could walk left its home, and soon I was
+driving a great flock of young Pelicans, all screaming at the tops of
+their voices.
+
+[Illustration: 102. Interviewing a group of young Pelicans.]
+
+[Illustration: 103. Among the Pelicans.]
+
+The old birds, in the meantime, were resting on the water. They might
+have been unpleasant foes, but in their stately, dignified way they
+accepted the situation, and waited in silence for us to retire. Then
+they at once returned to their nests, and in a short time comparative
+quiet was restored on the island.
+
+This is a sketch of life in the Pelicans’ metropolis as one sees it
+during a brief visit, and all the accounts of the island I have seen
+were based on just such an experience. Consequently, I shall relate here
+what was learned of the Pelicans and their home during four days passed
+with them.
+
+[Illustration: 104. Head and pouch of Brown Pelican. From a fresh
+specimen.]
+
+During no hour of the twenty-four did silence reign on Pelican Island;
+if I went on deck at midnight, the notes of some complaining or
+pugnacious young Pelicans, who in their sleep had come into too close
+quarters, were sure to be heard. But the Pelicans’ day began at early
+dawn, when I could distinguish the diagonal files of from two to a dozen
+birds solemnly and silently starting out for the fishing grounds. One
+might think that, like a boat’s crew, their strokes were controlled by a
+coxswain, as in perfect unison they all flapped their broad wings for
+about ten beats, and then spread them and sailed for as many seconds.
+
+[Illustration: 105. Same as No. 104, seen from above, to show extent to
+which sides of the lower bill are spread.]
+
+Generally they headed for the ocean, there to follow the line of the
+beach, sometimes high in the air, at others low over the curling surf,
+as their progress was aided or retarded by the wind. How far they went I
+can not say, but at a point ten miles north of Pelican Island many have
+been seen still winging their way to the northward, doubtless to some
+point where fish were abundant. Not once during the four days passed off
+Pelican Island did I see a Pelican fishing over the surrounding waters.
+It was not because they were lacking in fish, for they contained a
+plentiful supply of food; and I could explain the unexpected abstinence
+of the birds only on the supposition that the fish in the immediate
+vicinity of the nesting ground were left for the early efforts of the
+young birds before they were strong enough of wing to accompany their
+parents to distant fishing grounds.
+
+Brown Pelicans fish at a height of from twenty to thirty feet above the
+water, not hovering, but flying slowly about, and without a moment’s
+pause plunging on their prey with a force which would produce serious
+results if the bird’s breast were not well padded with cellular tissue
+between the skin and the flesh.
+
+I observed that when the young birds struck at me the movement was
+accompanied by a widening or bowing out of the sides of the lower
+mandible, and it is doubtless the same muscular effort which turns the
+pouch of the diving Pelican into a scoop net, as it were, with an
+elliptical ring.^{105}
+
+By sunrise most of the fishers appeared to have departed, and at this
+time, whether because of the absence of so many of the adults or because
+it was their breakfast hour, a swarm of Fish Crows came from the
+mainland, apparently from both sides of the river, seeking what they
+might devour in the way of eggs or young Pelicans, and departing after
+several hours’ feasting.
+
+About eight o’clock the fishers began to appear, coming, as they went,
+in dignified lines, which broke up as they reached the island, each bird
+going to its young. Then the outcry began, and the ensuing two hours
+were the noisiest of the day.
+
+Pelicans are so well able to supply the wants of their families that,
+unlike smaller birds who bring to their ever-hungry broods only a
+mouthful at a time, they are not forced to feed their young at short
+intervals throughout the day, but the morning meal concluded, they do
+not again have to provide for their nestlings until afternoon.
+Immediately after breakfast, therefore, the parent birds went out into
+the bay to bathe, and the flapping of their wings as they dashed the
+water over themselves could be heard at a great distance. The bath
+concluded, the birds gathered in rows on the sand bars jutting out from
+the island, to vigorously preen their feathers, and doze in the sun; and
+then, at irregular intervals, bird after bird, prompted apparently
+purely by a love of exercise, or tempted by a possible resulting
+exhilaration, mounted slowly into the air until they had attained a
+great height, when, spreading their wings, they sailed majestically
+about on broad circles for hours at a time. I was at first inclined to
+connect this habit with the season of courtship, but observing several
+birds of the year, who had but recently learned to fly, join their
+elders, I came to the conclusion that the habit had no sexual
+significance, and was indulged in solely because the birds enjoyed it.
+
+In the afternoon the fishing parties again started out, and after the
+resulting catch had been delivered to the clamoring young, the Pelican’s
+day’s work was concluded, and he betook himself to his favorite roost
+for the night. At dark a few Cormorants returned to the branches of a
+dead tree, a single Frigate, after carefully and repeatedly
+reconnoitering the situation, decided to take lodgings on a neighboring
+stub, and a Pelican Island day was ended.
+
+Whether, as in the case of the Terns and Gannets previously mentioned,
+the Pelicans all return to their island on a certain day I can not say.
+Probably, however, the short duration of their migratory journey, and
+the fact that they come from both the north and the south, prevents them
+from joining many other birds _en route_. However, apparently most of
+the birds are warned at nearly the same time by a physiological change
+that the season has come for them to return to their nesting grounds.
+This is evidently in January, since in March a large number of the young
+on the island were found almost ready to fly, while some, as has been
+said, were already on the wing. There was, it is true, a great variation
+in the development of the young found, and indeed the birds were still
+laying, but I believe that the parents of these later broods had been
+robbed of their eggs by tourists.
+
+A careful count yielded a total of 845 nests, which had evidently been
+built during the season, but only 251 of them were occupied. Most of the
+vacant nests were on the ground, and had been deserted by their tenants,
+who were now running about the island.
+
+The 251 occupied nests contained eggs or young, as follows:
+
+                      55 nests with 1  egg  each;
+                      63   „    „   2 eggs    „
+                      23   „    „   3   „     „
+                      63   „    „   1 young each;
+                      46   „    „   2   „     „
+                       1 nest   „   3   „     „
+
+Incubation was found to be well advanced in eggs which were alone in
+their nest, showing either that one egg sometimes composes the set, or
+that the other eggs of the set had been destroyed. The fact that one
+nest was found with three young while twenty-three were found each
+containing three eggs, would indicate a high mortality among the young
+birds; and, indeed, no less than 94 dead young were counted. Most of
+these, however, were birds which were old enough to leave the nest, and
+death was doubtless due to the thoughtlessness of tourist visitors, who
+chase the young about until they fall from exhaustion, or are driven too
+far to find their way home.
+
+Estimating the number of young birds which had left the 594 deserted
+nests at 891—which would be an average of one and a half birds to the
+nest—and adding two parent birds to each nest, we have 2,581 birds on
+wing and on foot. But this number is to be increased by the 152 young
+that were still in their nests, making the probable total population of
+Pelican Island 2,736. This calculation, however, does not take into
+account the eggs, from which almost hourly came new inhabitants of the
+island; and it is with these eggs, or rather with the nest in which they
+are placed, that we may begin a brief outline of the young Pelican’s
+development.
+
+The Pelican, although a low type of bird, is altricial, the young,
+unlike the offspring of Gulls, Ducks, or Snipe, being hatched in a
+helpless condition. The nest, therefore, is not only an incubator where
+with heat from the parent bird the eggs are hatched, but it is a cradle
+for the young. Consequently, Pelicans’ nests are unusually complicated
+structures as compared with the dwellings of other birds equally low in
+the evolutionary scale.
+
+There was a very interesting and constant relation between the character
+of the nest and its site, ground nests being composed largely or
+entirely of long grasses, while those nests which were placed in the
+trees were made of sticks and were lined with grasses, the nest proper
+being erected on a platform of larger sticks laid from crotch to crotch
+in the bushes in such a manner as to form a broad, firm foundation,
+though, structurally, it was not a part of the nest, which could be
+lifted without removing the platform.
+
+[Illustration: 106. Newly hatched Pelicans. Ground nest.]
+
+The difference between the nests of straw^{106} and those of
+sticks^{107} were so marked that it seems probable their makers
+regularly selected sites on the ground or in the trees respectively. Or,
+assuming that the same individuals might build a stick nest in the
+bushes one year and a straw nest on the ground the next, we have an
+unusual variation in the character of the nest of the same species. In
+the case of the Fish Hawks of Plumb Island the birds evinced an
+appreciation of the protection afforded them by the owner of the island
+by often placing their nests on the ground. Photographs of these nests,
+however, made by Dr. C. S. Allen, show that the birds employed as much
+material when nesting on the ground as when nesting in trees, the eggs
+on the ground being surrounded by a useless mass of large sticks.
+Certain of the birds, therefore, in response to new conditions, had
+chosen new nesting sites, but had not as yet made corresponding changes
+in the character of their nests.
+
+When the nest is completed, as we have seen, from one to three eggs are
+laid. The period of incubation is probably about four weeks, and a
+careful listener may detect the presence of a hatching egg by the
+choking bark which the young Pelican begins to utter as soon as he has
+made an opening in the shell which holds him. When he has finally freed
+himself and appears in the world, he is about as unattractive a bit of
+bird life as can well be conceived.^{106} His dark, purple skin is
+perfectly naked, he is blind, and when he is deprived of shade provided
+by the brooding parent, he twists restlessly about in the nest, uttering
+the same choking bark with which he first greeted the light.
+
+Even at this early age he displays one of the strong characteristics of
+the immature Pelican—a pugnacious disposition. Almost before his eyes
+are open he bites at his nest mates for apparently no other reason than
+that they come within reach of his bill. Soon his eyes open and within a
+few days a wonderful change begins to take place in his
+appearance.^{107} Little bunches of white down sprout all over his body,
+and, growing rapidly, transform the ugly, purple-black nestling into a
+snowy creature clad in softest down.
+
+[Illustration: 107. Young Pelican in tree nest, showing first appearance
+of white down.]
+
+At the same time he has been growing much stronger; he is able to sit
+up,^{108} his fighting abilities have greatly increased, and his voice,
+after passing through a rasping _k-r-r-r-ing_ stage, has become a high,
+piercing cry very closely resembling the scream of a child in extreme
+pain. Young Pelicans uttering this call chiefly made up the chorus one
+could hear all day and at intervals during the night on Pelican Island.
+
+Pelicans of the same nest never seem to recover from the mutual enmity
+with which they begin life. Quarreling is the normal condition of
+affairs among the children of a Pelican family, and as they always
+scream loudest when fighting, one cause for the continuous uproar is
+evident. Another is the question of food, and just at this point I may
+pause a moment to describe the manner in which the young Pelicans are
+fed.
+
+[Illustration: 108. Young Pelican, downy stage.]
+
+So far as I know, Pelicans live wholly on fish, and the difference
+between the fare of a young Pelican and that of its parent is in the
+size of its finny food. I have seen fish twelve inches long in the
+throat of an old Pelican, while the pouch of a very young bird contained
+several fishes less than an inch in length.
+
+It is plain to be seen, therefore, that when an old Pelican goes fishing
+for his family he must keep constantly in mind the size of his offspring
+and bring home little fish for little birds, larger fish for larger
+ones.
+
+Immediately after the parent returns from its fishing expedition, the
+young cluster about it and the outcry begins. But the old one takes it
+very patiently, sitting quite still until ready to open its creel, as it
+were. Then he takes a stand if possible a little above the young, drops
+his lower bill with its pouch, when at once the young thrust in their
+heads to secure their morning’s catch. On one occasion I saw three
+half-grown Pelicans with their heads and necks entirely out of sight in
+the parent’s pouch, and all were prodding about so vigorously that one
+would have thought it would be damaged past mending.
+
+Having been fed, one might suppose that for a time peace would reign in
+the Pelican household; but, after emptying their parent’s pouch, the
+young immediately begin to squabble over the contents of their own. Here
+is real cause for war, and they grasp each other by the bill and twist
+and turn like athletes in a test of strength, seldom, however, with
+serious results.
+
+[Illustration: 109. Young Pelican, wing quills appearing.]
+
+Returning to our sketch of the young Pelican’s growth: shortly after the
+acquisition of the white down, the wing feathers begin to grow. As yet
+the sprouting feathers are useless, but with them come strength and
+courage to leave the nest and to clamber about in search of the foes who
+perhaps have been mocking him for days, from their nest on an adjoining
+limb. In spite of his broadly webbed toes, he manages to climb about in
+the bushes with more or less ease;^{109} but in this climbing he is
+greatly aided by his bill. Indeed, if it were not for the safety hook
+made by the bill, head, and neck, many a young Pelican would have a
+premature tumble. As it is, this hook is often the only thing that saves
+him if he chances to lose his footing; catching by the bill and neck he
+hangs for a moment, and then, like a gymnast, hauls himself up by the
+aid of his toes.
+
+[Illustration: 110. Young Pelicans, stage preceding flight.]
+
+If the young Pelican’s home is on the ground, at this age he waddles
+about playing by himself or fighting all comers. He dabbles in the
+shallow water, filling his pouch with mud and water, bits of sticks,
+shells, and weeds; then dropping the point of his bill downward so that
+the mud and water ooze out, he carefully examines the remainder, piece
+by piece, as if to see whether it is palatable. Even when alone he
+sometimes loses his temper. I saw one evidently much annoyed by the
+appearance of a displaced feather in his wing, and in a vain effort to
+catch it he whirled about like a kitten chasing its own tail.
+
+But the fast-growing wing plumes soon seem to be a source of
+inspiration, rather than of annoyance. The young Pelicans feel a new and
+strange power coming to them, and they stand in the nest and aimlessly
+wave their now nearly grown wings, until some day an impulse prompts
+them to spring into the air.^{110} The immediate result is a humiliating
+tumble, for Pelicans, unlike smaller birds, must learn to fly. Once on
+the ground he has a safer place to practice, and with a hop, skip, and a
+flap, he makes brave efforts to mount skyward. Finally he succeeds, and
+the awkward nestling becomes a creature of power and grace, sailing away
+on broad pinions to join its elders.
+
+With this wonderful gift of flight comes a complete change in the
+Pelican’s character and behavior. From a noisy, quarrelsome fledgeling,
+whose days were passed in screaming and squabbling, he is transformed
+into a dignified, patriarchal-like bird so absolutely voiceless that I
+have never heard a wild Pelican utter a sound, nor do I know of any one
+who has; while in disposition he has become so peaceful that under the
+strongest provocation he shows no desire to protest.
+
+Just what has influenced him—who can say? It is one of Nature’s
+mysteries. But let us hope that the same charm may be exerted on every
+noisy, quarrelsome creature.
+
+
+
+
+                                 INDEX
+
+
+ Audubon, J. J., 155.
+
+ Auk, Razorbilled, on Bird Rock, 167, 169;
+     tameness of, 170;
+     nesting of, 176;
+     young of, 176.
+   The, 154.
+
+
+ Bayberries, 26.
+
+ Bird-Lore, 9.
+
+ Bird photography, definition of, 1;
+   scientific value of, 1, 34;
+   charm of, 3, 39;
+   outfit for, 6;
+   methods of, 26.
+
+ Bird Rock, 130, 150, 152.
+
+ Birds, adult, photographing, 33.
+   Young, photographing, 32;
+     return of, to nesting ground, 192.
+
+ Bittern, American, 29, 70.
+   Least, haunts of, 62;
+     mode of progression of, 62;
+     notes of, 63, 72;
+     nest of, 65;
+     protective mimicry of, 67;
+     courage of, 68;
+     eggs of, destroyed by Marsh Wren, 72;
+     intelligence of, 75;
+     eating eggs, 75.
+
+ Blackbird, Red-winged, 26, 69, 70, 94, 194.
+
+ Blinds, 23.
+
+ Bobolink, 95, 100, 194.
+
+ Bonaventure Island, 130, 138, 139, 141.
+
+ Bourque, Captain Peter, 164.
+
+ Brewster, William, 63, 103, 133, 160.
+
+ Bryant, Dr. Henry, 159.
+
+ Bryon Island, 152, 162.
+
+ Bulb, 21, 22.
+
+
+ Canadian Government, 189.
+
+ Cartier, Jacques, 154.
+
+ Cape Breton, 152.
+
+ Catbird, 37.
+
+ Cat-tails, 90.
+
+ Camera, uses of, 1–4;
+     kinds of, 6.
+   Hand, 8;
+     Kearton’s, 7;
+     long-focus, 7;
+     reflecting, 8;
+     twin-lens, 8;
+     snap-shot, 8;
+     dummy, 35;
+     triumph of, 171.
+
+ Cameras used in Gulf of St. Lawrence, 133.
+
+ Cannon, 160.
+
+ Chickadee, tameness of, 47;
+   in Central Park, 48;
+   photographing, 49;
+   alighting on hand, 51;
+   nesting of, 52;
+   habits of, when nesting, 53–55;
+   young of, 57–61.
+
+ Chuck-will’s-widow, 146.
+
+ Civilization, effects of, on wild life, 128.
+
+ Clamp, ball-and-socket, 22, 24, 29.
+
+ Cliff photography, 25.
+
+ Climbers, 24.
+
+ Codfishing, 136.
+
+ Cormorants, Double-crested, 132.
+
+ Corncrake, 146.
+
+ Cornel, 142.
+
+ Crane, 85.
+
+ Crow, 65.
+
+
+ Dalhousie, 146.
+
+ Dark-cloth, 24.
+
+ Deer, 25.
+
+ Dogwood, 26.
+
+
+ Enlargements, photographic, 7, 12, 13.
+
+
+ Finch, Pine, 137.
+
+ Finders, 8.
+
+ Flash-light, 25.
+
+ Flicker, 14.
+
+ Food, photographing, 26.
+
+
+ Galapagos, 129.
+
+ Gallinule, Florida, 63, 69–71.
+
+ Gannets, on Bonaventure, 139, 143–145;
+   destruction of, by Cartier, 154;
+   described by Audubon, 157;
+   killed for bait, 158;
+   number of, 159;
+   decrease of, 160;
+   on Bird Bock, 171, 181–183;
+   photographing, 187;
+   fearlessness of, 187;
+   manner of feeding, 187.
+
+ Grand Entry, 147.
+
+ Grebe, Pied-billed, 69, 70.
+
+ Gregory, J. U., 163.
+
+ Grosse Isle, 147.
+
+ Guillemots, 149.
+
+ Gulf of St. Lawrence, Bird Rocks of, 128, 129.
+
+ Gull, Black-backed, 147.
+   Herring, on Percé Rock, 134;
+     feeding in fields, 136;
+     nesting on cliffs, 137;
+     note of, 137.
+
+
+ Hackensack marshes, value of, 89;
+   beauty of, 89;
+   geological history of, 89;
+   flowers of, 90, 92;
+   animal life of, 93.
+
+ Haunts, photographing, 26.
+
+ Hawk, Marsh, 29–31, 92.
+
+ Hen, Heath, 109.
+   Moor, 70.
+   Water, 70.
+
+ Heron, Great Blue, killing of, 85;
+     wildness of, 86;
+     rookeries of, 86;
+     nests of, 87.
+   Night, rookery of, 76;
+     call of, 77;
+     protection of, 77;
+     nests of, 78;
+     food of, 78;
+     limy deposits of, killing vegetation, 78;
+     young of, 79;
+     death of young of, 81;
+     feeding by parents, 81;
+     fall from nest, 81.
+
+ Home photography, 40.
+
+ Howe, R. II, Jr., 123.
+
+
+ Iconoscope, 8.
+
+ Inaccessible Island, 129.
+
+ Iris, 142.
+
+ Islands, preserving influences of, 108, 128.
+
+
+ Jay, Blue, 42.
+
+ Junco, 42, 137.
+
+
+ Kearton brothers, 7, 23, 25.
+
+ Kerguelen Island, 129.
+
+ Kittiwake, on Percé Rock, 133;
+   calling, 172;
+   on Bird Rock, 177;
+   nests and young of, 177;
+   number of, on Bird Rock, 183.
+
+
+ Lantern slides, 7.
+
+ Laysan Island, 129.
+
+ Lens, the, 10.
+   Tests, 14–19.
+
+ Little Bird Rock, 153.
+
+ Loon, 70.
+
+ Lucas, F. A., 154.
+
+
+ Mackay, George II, 123, 192.
+
+ Magdalen Islands, 130, 146.
+
+ Marsh Birds, notes of, 70.
+   Mallow, 92, 93.
+   Mystery of, 70.
+
+ Maryland Yellow-throat, 29, 38.
+
+ Massachusetts:
+   Boston, 42;
+   Cambridge, 63;
+   Martha’s Vineyard, 109;
+   Muskeget, 109;
+   Penikese, 108, 122–127;
+   Weepeckets, 109;
+   Wood’s Holl, 109.
+
+ Maynard, C. J., 160.
+
+ McKinlay, James, 146.
+
+ Migration, 27;
+   speculations on origin of, 191–195.
+
+ Mirror, 24.
+
+ Mount St. Anne, 137.
+
+ Murre, Brünnich’s, 169;
+     number of, on Bird Rock, 183.
+   Common, 169;
+     number of, on Bird Rock, 183.
+   Ringed, 174.
+   Eggs and young of, destroyed, 160, 161;
+     on Bryon, 162;
+     on Bird Rock, 167;
+     tameness of, 170;
+     eggs of, 174, 175;
+     young of, 175;
+     number of, on Bird Rock, 182.
+
+
+ Nests and Eggs, photographing, 28.
+
+ New Jersey:
+   Englewood, 52;
+   Hackensack Marshes, 89.
+
+ New York:
+   Central Park, 48;
+   Cayuga County, 65, 69, 86;
+   Great Gull Island, 108;
+   Long Island, 107.
+
+ Nuthatch, 42.
+
+
+ Oölogists, 65.
+
+ Owl, use of, in photographing birds, 37.
+   Barred, 46.
+   Screech, photographing, 44;
+     calls of, 44, 45;
+     food of, 45;
+     manner of feeding of, 45;
+     young of, 45.
+   Short-eared, 49.
+
+
+ Pelican, Brown, 146;
+     returning to Pelican Island, 192, 195;
+     persecution of, 195, 196;
+     daily habits of, 197–199, 202;
+     pugnacity and calls of young of, 198, 190;
+     flight of, 200;
+     manner of fishing of, 201;
+     pouch of, 201;
+     number of, on Pelican Island, 204, 205;
+     nesting of, 205–207;
+     development and habits of young of, 207–213;
+     feeding of, 210;
+     voicelessness of adult of, 213.
+   Island, 191–214.
+
+ Pennsylvania: Presque Isle, 64.
+
+ Percé, isolation of, 130;
+     charm of, 135.
+   Rock, 130;
+     size of, 132;
+     birds of, 132, 133, 135.
+
+ Petrel, Leach’s, on Bird Rock, 179;
+   nesting of, 180;
+   young of, 181;
+   call of, 185;
+   habits of, at night, 185.
+
+ Pictou, 146.
+
+ Plates, photographic, 22.
+
+ Puffins, on Bryon, 162;
+   on Bird Rock, 169, 170;
+   nesting, 177;
+   ferocity of, 178;
+   appearance of, 179;
+   number of, on Bird Rock, 182.
+
+
+ Raven, 137.
+
+ Rail, Clapper, 70.
+   Sora, 95, 100.
+
+ Razorbills, on Bird Rock, 167, 169;
+   tameness of, 170;
+   nesting of, 176;
+   young of, 176;
+   number of, on Bird Rock, 183.
+
+ Red Cedar, 26.
+
+ Reedbird, 26, 95.
+
+ Robin, 22, 191.
+
+ Rowley, John, 9.
+
+
+ Sable Island, 191.
+
+ Screen for nest photography, 31.
+
+ Seasons, photographing, 27.
+
+ Shelbourne, W. E., 149, 173.
+
+ Shiras, G. A., 25.
+
+ Shutter, curtain, 9;
+   focal-plane, 9, 20;
+   iris, 19;
+   unicum, 15, 20.
+
+ Snow, photographing after, 41.
+
+ Sparrow, Fox, 149.
+   House, photographing, 40, 43;
+     notes of, 41;
+     intelligence of, 40, 43.
+   Ipswich, 191.
+   Savanna, 137.
+   Swamp, 95, 100.
+   White-throated, 137, 142.
+
+ Swallow, Bank, 96.
+   Barn, 96.
+   Eave, 96.
+   Rough-winged, 96.
+   Tree, nesting site of, 29;
+     range of, 96;
+     in Hackensack marshes, 96;
+     roosting habits of, 96;
+     evening and morning flights of, 97–101;
+     bathing in trees, 101;
+     exhibiting procreative and nesting habits prematurely, 103;
+     migration of, 104.
+
+
+ Tabor, E. G., 65.
+
+ Taker, Captain Hubbard, 151, 163, 186, 189.
+
+ Telephoto, 12, 17.
+
+ Tern, Arctic, 111.
+   Common, 109;
+     nesting of, 110, 112;
+     action of colony of, 111;
+     notes of, 111, 117;
+     bravery of, 111;
+     young of, 112–114, 118, 122, 125;
+     returning to nest, 115;
+     photographing, 116, 117;
+     hearing of, 120;
+     on sheep, 123.
+   Roseate, on Weepeckets, 109, 110;
+     note of, 111;
+     on Penikese, 123.
+
+ Terns, uses of, 106;
+   grace and beauty of, 106;
+   destruction of, 107;
+   on islands, 108;
+   protection of, 108, 127.
+
+ Thrush, Wood, 39.
+
+ Towhee, 38.
+
+ Tree trunk, artificial, 23, 36.
+
+ Tripod, 22, 28.
+
+ Tubing, 22.
+
+ Twin-flower, 142.
+
+
+ Vireo, Red-eyed, 39.
+   White-eyed, 39.
+   Yellow-throated, 39.
+
+ Virginia: Cobb’s Island, 107.
+
+
+ Warbler, Blue-winged, 38.
+   Chestnut-sided, 38.
+
+ Wild cherry, 26.
+
+ Wild rice, 92, 94.
+
+ Winter, feeding birds in, 42.
+
+ Woodcock, 26.
+
+ Woodpecker, Downy, 42.
+
+ Wren, Long-billed Marsh, 69, 72, 94.
+
+
+                                THE END
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+
+
+                          By FRANK M. CHAPMAN.
+
+
+  =Bird Studies with a Camera. With Introductory Chapters on the Outfit
+      and Methods of the Bird Photographer.= By FRANK M. CHAPMAN,
+      Assistant Curator of Vertebrate Zoölogy in the American Museum of
+      Natural History; Author of “Handbook of Birds of Eastern North
+      America” and “Bird-Life.” Illustrated with over 100 Photographs
+      from Nature by the Author. 12mo. Cloth, $1.75.
+
+Bird students and photographers will find that this book possesses for
+them a unique interest and value. It contains fascinating accounts of
+the habits of some of our common birds and descriptions of the largest
+bird colonies existing in eastern North America; while its author’s
+phenomenal success in photographing birds in Nature not only lends to
+the illustrations the charm of realism, but makes the book a record of
+surprising achievements with the camera. The book is practical as well
+as descriptive, and in the opening chapters the questions of camera,
+lens, plates, blinds, decoys, and other pertinent matters are fully
+discussed, making the work an admirable guide for the camera hunter.
+
+  =Bird-Life. A Guide to the Study of our Common Birds.= With 75
+      full-page Plates and numerous Text Drawings by Ernest
+      Seton-Thompson. LIBRARY EDITION, 12mo, cloth, $1.75; TEACHERS’
+      EDITION, same as Library Edition, but containing an Appendix, with
+      new matter designed for the use of teachers, and including lists
+      of birds for each month of the year, 12mo, cloth, $2.00. Edition
+      with 75 Colored Lithographic Plates, 8vo, cloth, $5.00.
+
+TEACHERS’ MANUAL. To accompany Portfolios of COLORED PLATES of
+“Bird-Life.” Contains the same text as the Teachers’ Edition of
+“Bird-Life,” but is without the 75 uncolored plates. Sold only with the
+Portfolios, as follows: _Portfolio No. I._ Permanent Residents and
+Winter Visitants. 32 plates. _Portfolio No. II._ March and April
+Migrants. 24 plates. _Portfolio No. III._ May Migrants, Types of Birds’
+Eggs, and 9 half-tone plates showing Types of Birds’ Nests. 34 Plates.
+Price of Portfolios, each, $1.25; with the MANUAL, $2.00; the three
+Portfolios, with the MANUAL, $4.00.
+
+  =Handbook of Birds of Eastern North America.= With Keys to the
+      Species, Descriptions of their Plumages, Nests, etc., and their
+      Distribution and Migrations. With over 200 Illustrations. 12mo.
+      LIBRARY EDITION, $3.00; POCKET EDITION, flexible covers, $3.50.
+
+
+
+
+                D. APPLETON AND COMPANY’S PUBLICATIONS.
+
+
+  _FAMILIAR LIFE IN FIELD AND FOREST._ By F. SCHUYLER MATHEWS. Uniform
+      with “Familiar Flowers,” “Familiar Trees,” and “Familiar Features
+      of the Roadside.” With many Illustrations. 12mo. Cloth, $1.75.
+
+The great popularity of Mr. F. Schuyler Mathews’s charmingly illustrated
+books upon flowers, trees, and roadside life insures a cordial reception
+for his forthcoming book, which describes the animals, reptiles,
+insects, and birds commonly met with in the country. His book will be
+found a most convenient and interesting guide to an acquaintance with
+common wild creatures.
+
+  _FAMILIAR FEATURES OF THE ROADSIDE._ By F. SCHUYLER MATHEWS, author of
+      “Familiar Flowers of Field and Garden,” “Familiar Trees and their
+      Leaves,” etc. With 130 Illustrations by the Author. 12mo. Cloth,
+      $1.75.
+
+“Which one of us, whether afoot, awheel, on horseback, or in comfortable
+carriage, has not whiled away the time by glancing about? How many of
+us, however, have taken in the details of what charms us? We see the
+flowering fields and budding woods, listen to the notes of birds and
+frogs, the hum of some big bumblebee, but how much do we know of what we
+sense? These questions, these doubts have occurred to all of us, and it
+is to answer them that Mr. Mathews sets forth. It is to his credit that
+he succeeds so well. He puts before us in chronological order the
+flowers, birds, and beasts we meet on our highway and byway travels,
+tells us how to recognize them, what they are really like, and gives us
+at once charming drawings in words and lines, for Mr. Mathews is his own
+illustrator.”—_Boston Journal._
+
+  _FAMILIAR TREES AND THEIR LEAVES._ By F. SCHUYLER MATHEWS, author of
+      “Familiar Flowers of Field and Garden,” “The Beautiful Flower
+      Garden,” etc. Illustrated with over 200 Drawings from Nature by
+      the Author, and giving the botanical names and habitat of each
+      tree and recording the precise character and coloring of its
+      leafage. 12mo. Cloth, $1.75.
+
+“It is not often that we find a book which deserves such unreserved
+commendation. It is commendable for several reasons: it is a book that
+has been needed for a long time, it is written in a popular and
+attractive style, it is accurately and profusely illustrated, and it is
+by an authority on the subject of which it treats.”—_Public Opinion._
+
+  _FAMILIAR FLOWERS OF FIELD AND GARDEN._ By F. SCHUYLER MATHEWS.
+      Illustrated with 200 Drawings by the Author. 12mo. Library
+      Edition, cloth, $1.75; Pocket Edition, flexible morocco, $2.25.
+
+“A book of much value and interest, admirably arranged for the student
+and the lover of flowers.... The text is full of compact information,
+well selected and interestingly presented.... It seems to us to be a
+most attractive handbook of its kind.”—_New York Sun._
+
+  _THE ART OF TAXIDERMY._ By JOHN ROWLEY, Chief of the Department of
+      Taxidermy in the American Museum of Natural History. Illustrated.
+      12mo. Cloth, $2.00.
+
+Mr. Rowley has introduced new features into the art which have not been
+described in print before, and his book represents the latest advances
+in taxidermy as an art and as a science. He takes a hunting party to the
+Canadian woods in his opening chapter, and gives a series of vivid
+pictures of actual field work. This is followed by a series of careful
+explanations of the proper treatment of animals, large and small, of
+birds, and heads. The many lovers of outdoor sport who are interested as
+amateurs in the various phases of taxidermy will find their requirements
+fully met, while to professional taxidermists this important and
+comprehensive work will be indispensable. It is elaborately illustrated.
+
+  _INSECT LIFE._ By JOHN HENRY COMSTOCK, Professor of Entomology in
+      Cornell University. With Illustrations by Anna Botsford Comstock,
+      member of the Society of American Wood Engravers. 12mo. Library
+      Edition, cloth, $2.50; Teachers’ and Students’ Edition, $1.50.
+
+“Any one who will go through the work with fidelity will be rewarded by
+a knowledge of insect life which will be of pleasure and benefit to him
+at all seasons, and will give an increased charm to the days or weeks
+spent each summer outside of the great cities. It is the best book of
+its class which has yet appeared.”—_New York Mail and Express._
+
+“The arrangement of the lessons and experiments and the advice on
+collection and manipulation are only some of the very admirable features
+of a work that must take first place in the class to which it
+belongs.”—_Philadelphia Press._
+
+“The volume is admirably written, and the simple and lucid style is a
+constant delight.... It is sure to serve an excellent purpose in the
+direction of popular culture, and the love of natural science which it
+will develop in youthful minds can hardly fail to bear rich
+fruit.”—_Boston Beacon._
+
+  _OUTLINES OF THE EARTH’S HISTORY._ By Prof. N. S. SHALER, of Harvard
+      University. Illustrated. 12mo. Cloth, $1.75.
+
+“Any one who reads the preliminary chapters will not stop until he has
+read the entire book. The subject is certainly one of supreme interest,
+and it would be hard to find any one more competent to write about it
+than Professor Shaler.”—_New York Herald._
+
+“Professor Shaler fortunately possesses a popular style, and what he
+writes on a scientific topic is entertaining as well as instructive.
+This book is illustrated with a number of splendid full-page cuts, which
+admirably illuminate the work.”—_Boston Globe._
+
+“Professor Shaler, of Harvard, in the well-worded text and the handsome
+illustrations, presents an interesting and instructive volume to the
+students of physiography. It is a simple study of the earth’s history,
+revealing Nature’s processes and its continuous and increasing,
+unceasing energies. It is well calculated to arouse an interest in
+geological study, as it furnishes the key to unlock some of the great
+mysteries the student meets in this broad field of science.... He
+explains many curious phenomena. The work is very free from
+technicalities, and is so plainly told as to be easily understood by
+every intellectual reader.”—_Chicago Inter-Ocean._
+
+
+
+
+                      APPLETONS’ HOME-READING BOOKS.
+
+
+ Edited by W. T. HARRIS, A. M., LL. D., U. S. Commissioner of Education.
+
+
+                  CLASSED IN FOUR DIVISIONS, AS FOLLOWS:
+
+THE FIRST comprises natural history, including popular treatises on
+plants and animals, and also descriptions of geographical localities,
+all of which pertain to the study of geography in the common schools.
+Descriptive astronomy, and anything that relates to organic Nature,
+comes under this head.
+
+THE SECOND includes whatever relates to natural philosophy, statics,
+dynamics, properties of matter, and chemistry, organic and inorganic.
+
+THE THIRD covers history, biography, ethnology, ethics, civics, and all
+that relates to the lives of individuals or of nations.
+
+THE FOURTH, works of general literature that portray human nature in the
+form of feelings, emotions, and the various expressions of art and
+music.
+
+                                                                  _Net._
+
+ The Story of the Birds. J. N. BASKETT                             $0.65
+ The Story of the Fishes. J. N. BASKETT                              .75
+ The Plant World. FRANK VINCENT                                      .60
+ The Animal World. FRANK VINCENT                                     .60
+ The Insect World. C. M. WEED                                        .60
+ The Story of Oliver Twist. ELLA B. KIRK                             .60
+ The Story of Rob Roy. EDITH T. HARRIS                               .60
+ In Brook and Bayou. CLARA KERN BAYLISS                              .60
+ Curious Homes and their Tenants. JAMES CARTER BEARD                 .65
+ Crusoe’s Island. F. A. OBER                                         .65
+ Uncle Sam’s Secrets. O. P. AUSTIN                                   .75
+ The Hall of Shells. Mrs. A. S. HARDY                                .60
+
+ Nature Study Readers. J. W. TROEGER.
+   Harold’s First Discoveries. Book I                                .25
+   Harold’s Rambles. Book II                                         .40
+   Harold’s Quests. Book III                                         .50
+   Harold’s Explorations. Book IV
+   Harold’s Discussions. Book V
+
+ Uncle Robert’s Geography. FRANCIS W. PARKER and NELLIE L. HELM.
+     Playtime and Seedtime. Book I                                   .32
+   On the Farm. Book II                                              .42
+   Uncle Robert’s Visit. Book III                                    .50
+   Rivers and Winds. Book IV
+   Mountain, Plain, and Desert. Book V
+   Our Own Continent. Book VI
+
+ News from the Birds. LEANDER S. KEYSER                              .60
+ Historic Boston and its Neighborhood. EDWARD EVERETT HALE           .50
+ The Earth and Sky. EDWARD S. HOLDEN                                 .28
+ The Family of the Sun. EDWARD S. HOLDEN                             .50
+ Stories of the Great Astronomers. EDWARD S. HOLDEN                  .75
+ About the Weather. MARK W. HARRINGTON                               .65
+ Stories from the Arabian Nights. ADAM SINGLETON                     .65
+ Our Country’s Flag and the Flags of Foreign Countries. EDWARD S.
+   HOLDEN                                                            .80
+ Our Navy in Time of War. FRANKLIN MATTHEWS                          .75
+ The Chronicles of Sir John Froissart. ADAM SINGLETON                .65
+ The Storied West Indies. F. A. OBER                                 .75
+ Uncle Sam’s Soldiers. O. P. AUSTIN                                  .75
+                        _Others in preparation._
+
+
+
+
+                     THE LIBRARY OF USEFUL STORIES.
+
+             Illustrated. 16mo. Cloth, 40 cents per volume.
+
+
+                              _NOW READY._
+
+ =The Story of the Alphabet.= By EDWARD CLODD.
+ =The Story of Eclipses.= By G. F. CHAMBERS.
+ =The Story of the Living Machine.= By H. W. CONN.
+ =The Story of the British Race.= By JOHN MUNRO, C. E.
+ =The Story of Geographical Discovery.= By JOSEPH JACOBS.
+ =The Story of the Cotton Plant.= By F. WILKINSON, F.G.S.
+ =The Story of the Mind.= By Prof. J. MARK BALDWIN.
+ =The Story of Photography.= By ALFRED T. STORY.
+ =The Story of Life in the Seas.= By SIDNEY J. HICKSON.
+ =The Story of Germ Life.= By Prof. H. W. CONN.
+ =The Story of the Earth’s Atmosphere.= By DOUGLAS ARCHIBALD.
+ =The Story of Extinct Civilizations of the East.= By ROBERT ANDERSON, M.
+    A., F. A. S.
+ =The Story of Electricity.= By JOHN MUNRO, C. E.
+ =The Story of a Piece of Coal.= By E. A. MARTIN, F.G.S.
+ =The Story of the Solar System.= By C. F. CHAMBERS, F. R. A. S.
+ =The Story of the Earth.= By H. G. SEELEY, F.R.S.
+ =The Story of the Plants.= By GRANT ALLEN.
+ =The Story of “Primitive” Man.= By EDWARD CLODD.
+ =The Story of the Stars.= By G. F. CHAMBERS, F. R. A. S.
+
+                         OTHERS IN PREPARATION.
+
+
+
+
+                     THE CONCISE KNOWLEDGE LIBRARY
+
+
+                 Each, small 8vo, half leather, $2.00.
+
+
+    =The History of the World=,
+
+From the Earliest Historical Time to the Year 1898. By EDGAR SANDERSON,
+M. A., author of “A History of the British Empire,” etc.
+
+
+    =The Historical Reference-Book.=
+
+Comprising a Chronological Table of Universal History, a Chronological
+Dictionary of Universal History, and a Biographical Dictionary. With
+Geographical Notes. For the use of Students, Teachers, and Readers. By
+LOUIS HEILPRIN. Fifth edition, revised to 1898.
+
+
+    =Natural History.=
+
+By R. LYDEKKER, B. A.; W. F. KIRBY, F. L. S.; B. B. WOODWARD, F. L. S.;
+R. KIRKPATRICK; R. I. POCOCK; R. BOWDLER SHARPE, LL. D.; W. GARSTANG, M.
+A.; F. A. BATHER, M. A., and H. M. BERNARD, M. A. Nearly 800 pages, and
+500 Illustrations drawn especially for this work.
+
+
+    =Astronomy.=
+
+Fully illustrated. By AGNES M. CLERKE, A. FOWLER, F. R. A. S.,
+Demonstrator of Astronomical Physics of the Royal College of Science,
+and J. ELLARD GORE, F. R. A. S.
+
+
+
+
+                        ALASKA AND THE KLONDIKE.
+
+
+                          BY ANGELO HEILPRIN.
+
+_A Journey to the New Eldorado._ With Hints to the Traveler and
+Observations on the Physical History and Geology of the Gold Regions,
+the Condition of and Methods of Working the Klondike Placers, and the
+Laws Governing and Regulating Mining in the Northwest Territory of
+Canada. By ANGELO HEILPRIN, Professor of Geology at the Academy of
+Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Fellow of the Royal Geographical
+Society of London, Past-President of the Geographical Society of
+Philadelphia, etc. Fully illustrated from Photographs and with a new Map
+of the Gold Regions. 12mo. Cloth, $1.75.
+
+
+  “Will take and retain immediate rank as a contribution of essential
+  value not only to the literature of travel, but to that of American
+  commercial and political development.... Should be in the hands of
+  every person interested either in fact or in prospect in Alaska and
+  the Klondike.”—_Brooklyn Standard-Union._
+
+  “For the first time the new gold fields of the North have been dealt
+  with by a scientific man capable of weighing evidence.”—_Chicago
+  Evening Post._
+
+  “Presents for the first time a plain, straightforward story of what he
+  saw, how he saw it, the men and things he met, what the hardships were
+  and how he overcame them. The book is fully illustrated. It is replete
+  with valuable hints and instruction, and students of the gold problem
+  in Alaska ought to appreciate it. The entire subject has been
+  developed with extreme care and great thoroughness.”—_Boston Globe._
+
+  “It is among the practical books, everywhere bearing evidence of its
+  reliability. The story of the journey is told with enough of personal
+  incidents and accidents of travel to make every page interesting to
+  the general reader, and it will be found of practical value to those
+  intending to make the hard journey.”—_Chicago Inter-Ocean._
+
+  “Mr. Heilprin observed Dawson with the eyes of a student of great
+  scientific attainments, who had little in common with the crowd of
+  elemental and uncouth men gathered there, or with their life; and he
+  noted many things which they themselves probably accepted as matters
+  of course, besides writing an important scientific treatise.”—_Boston
+  Herald._
+
+  “It is noticeably fair-minded in its presentation of facts—the work of
+  a clear-minded and well-trained observer.”—_New York Outlook._
+
+  “The first adequate presentation of the Klondike gold problem made by
+  a geologist.”—_New York Mail and Express._
+
+
+                   D. APPLETON AND COMPANY, NEW YORK.
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+
+
+                          TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES
+
+
+ ● Typos fixed; non-standard spelling and dialect retained.
+ ● Enclosed italics font in _underscores_.
+ ● Enclosed bold or blackletter font in =equals=.
+ ● The caret (^) serves as a superscript indicator, applicable to
+     individual characters (like 2^d) and even entire phrases (like
+     1^{st}).
+
+
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75287 ***
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+<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75287 ***</div>
+
+<div class='tnotes covernote'>
+
+<p class='c000'><strong>Transcriber’s Note:</strong></p>
+
+<p class='c000'>New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the public domain.</p>
+
+</div>
+
+<div class='chapter ph1'>
+
+<div class='nf-center-c0'>
+<div class='nf-center c001'>
+    <div>BIRD STUDIES WITH A CAMERA</div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+
+</div>
+
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+<img src='images/i_001.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>1. Gannet (flying over), Murres, Puffins, and Razorbilled Auks.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<div class='titlepage border'>
+
+<div>
+  <h1 class='c002'>BIRD STUDIES WITH A CAMERA<br> <span class='large'>WITH INTRODUCTORY CHAPTERS ON THE OUTFIT AND METHODS OF THE BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER</span></h1>
+</div>
+<div class='border'>
+
+<div class='nf-center-c0'>
+<div class='nf-center c003'>
+    <div><span class='xlarge'><span class='sc'>By</span> FRANK M. CHAPMAN</span></div>
+    <div class='c004'><span class='small'>ASSISTANT CURATOR OF VERTEBRATE ZOÖLOGY IN THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, AND AUTHOR OF HANDBOOK OF BIRDS OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA, BIRD-LIFE, ETC.</span></div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+
+<div  class='figcenter id002'>
+<img src='images/i_title.jpg' alt='[Logo]' class='ig001'>
+</div>
+
+<div class='nf-center-c0'>
+  <div class='nf-center'>
+    <div><span class='small'><em>WITH OVER ONE HUNDRED PHOTOGRAPHS FROM NATURE, BY THE AUTHOR</em></span></div>
+    <div class='c004'>NEW YORK</div>
+    <div>D. APPLETON AND COMPANY</div>
+    <div>1900</div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+
+</div>
+
+</div>
+
+<div class='nf-center-c0'>
+<div class='nf-center c001'>
+    <div><span class='small'><span class='sc'>Copyright, 1900,</span></span></div>
+    <div><span class='small'><span class='sc'>By</span> FRANK M. CHAPMAN.</span></div>
+    <div class='c004'><span class='small'><em>All rights reserved.</em></span></div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+
+<div class='nf-center-c0'>
+<div class='nf-center c001'>
+    <div>THIS BOOK</div>
+    <div class='c004'>IS DEDICATED TO</div>
+    <div class='c004'><span class='large'>MY WIFE,</span></div>
+    <div class='c004'>WHO, BOTH AT HOME AND AFIELD, IS EVER</div>
+    <div class='c004'>“MY BEST ASSISTANT.”</div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+
+<div class='lg-container-b c005'>
+  <div class='linegroup'>
+    <div class='group'>
+      <div class='line'>You have learnt from the Birds and continue to learn,</div>
+      <div class='line'>Your best benefactors and early instructors.</div>
+      <div class='line in30'><span class='sc'>Frere’s</span> <em>Aristophanes</em>.</div>
+    </div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+
+<div class='chapter'>
+  <span class='pageno' id='Page_vii'>vii</span>
+  <h2 class='c006'>PREFACE</h2>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c007'>The practice of photographing birds in Nature
+is of too recent origin in this country to permit of
+its being treated authoritatively. The methods
+which may be employed are so numerous, the field
+to be covered so limitless, that many years must
+elapse before the bird photographer’s outfit will
+meet his wants, while the constantly varying details
+which surround his subjects almost prohibit duplication
+of experience.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>But it is these very difficulties which render all
+the more imperative the necessity of conference
+among workers in this fascinating and important
+branch of natural history. The causes of both
+success and failure should, through the medium of
+books and journals, be made accessible to all, thereby
+shortening this experimental stage of the study
+of birds with a camera, and hastening the day when
+the nature of the outfit and methods shall have been
+settled with more or less definiteness.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>It is as a contribution toward this end, and as a
+means of answering the queries of numerous correspondents,
+that the following pages, embodying the
+results of my own experiences, are offered. It is
+sincerely hoped that they may increase the interest
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_viii'>viii</span>in the study of birds in Nature, and at the same
+time furnish a more profitable and delightful outlet
+for the hunting instinct than is afforded by the
+shotgun or rifle.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>A large proportion of the Bird Rock pictures and
+several of those from Pelican Island have appeared
+in the Century and St. Nicholas respectively, and
+are here reproduced by the courtesy of the editors
+of those magazines; others have been previously
+published in Bird-Lore.</p>
+
+<div class='lg-container-r'>
+  <div class='linegroup'>
+    <div class='group'>
+      <div class='line'><span class='sc'>Frank M. Chapman.</span></div>
+    </div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+
+<div class='lg-container-l'>
+  <div class='linegroup'>
+    <div class='group'>
+      <div class='line'><span class='sc'>American Museum of Natural History,</span></div>
+      <div class='line in8'><span class='sc'>New York city</span>, <em>March, 1900</em>.</div>
+    </div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+
+<div class='chapter'>
+  <span class='pageno' id='Page_ix'>ix</span>
+  <h2 class='c006'>CONTENTS</h2>
+</div>
+
+<table class='table0'>
+  <tr>
+    <th class='c009'></th>
+    <th class='c010'>PAGE</th>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>Introduction</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_1'>1</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr><td class='c011' colspan='2'>What is bird photography?—The scientific value of bird photography—The charm of bird photography.</td></tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>&#160;</td>
+    <td class='c010'>&#160;</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr><td class='c011' colspan='2'><em>THE OUTFIT AND METHODS OF THE BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER</em></td></tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>The bird photographer’s outfit</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_6'>6</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr><td class='c011' colspan='2'>The camera—The lens—The shutter—The tripod—Plates—Blinds—Sundries.</td></tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>The methods of the bird photographer</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_26'>26</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr><td class='c011' colspan='2'>Haunts—Seasons—Nests and eggs—Young birds—Adult birds.</td></tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>&#160;</td>
+    <td class='c010'>&#160;</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr><td class='c011' colspan='2'><em>BIRD STUDIES WITH A CAMERA</em></td></tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>Bird photography begins at home</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_40'>40</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>The Chickadee—a study in black and white</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_47'>47</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>The Least Bittern and some other reed inhabitants</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_62'>62</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>Two Herons</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_76'>76</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>Where Swallows roost</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_89'>89</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>Two days with the Terns</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_106'>106</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>Percé and Bonaventure</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_128'>128</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>The Magdalens</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_146'>146</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>Bird Rock</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_152'>152</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>Life on Pelican Island, with some speculations on the origin of bird migration</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_191'>191</a></td>
+  </tr>
+</table>
+
+<div class='chapter'>
+  <span class='pageno' id='Page_xi'>xi</span>
+  <h2 class='c006'>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2>
+</div>
+
+<table class='table0'>
+  <tr>
+    <th class='c012'></th>
+    <th class='c009'>&#160;</th>
+    <th class='c010'>PAGE</th>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>1.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Gannet, Murres, Puffins, and Razorbilled Auks</td>
+    <td class='c010'><em><a href='#i_001'>Frontispiece</a></em></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>&#160;</td>
+    <td class='c009'><em>Tailpiece.</em> Young Baltimore Oriole</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_5'>5</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>&#160;</td>
+    <td class='c009'><em>Initial.</em> Long-focus camera and telephoto lens</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_6'>6</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>2.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Lens test No. 1</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_002'>14</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>3.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Enlargement of the bird in test No. 1</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_003'>15</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>4.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Lens test No. 2</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_004'>16</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>5.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Enlargement of bird in test No. 2</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_005'>17</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>6.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Lens test No. 3</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_006'>18</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>7.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Enlargement of bird in test No. 3</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_007'>19</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>&#160;</td>
+    <td class='c009'><em>Initial.</em> Young Great-crested Flycatcher</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_26'>26</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>8.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Spring</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_008'>27</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>9.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Summer</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_009'>27</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>10.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Autumn</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_010'>28</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>11.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Winter—four pictures (Nos. 8–11) from the same point of view</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_011'>28</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>12.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Nest locality of five species</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_012'>29</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>13.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Nesting site, nest, and young of Marsh Hawk</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_013'>30</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>14.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Young Marsh Hawks and nest</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_014'>31</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>15.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Young Great-crested Flycatcher</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_015'>32</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>16.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Young Baltimore Orioles and nest</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_016'>33</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>17.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Wood Thrush on nest</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_017'>34</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>18.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Chestnut-sided Warbler on nest</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_018'>35</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>19.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Catbird scolding</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_019'>37</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>&#160;</td>
+    <td class='c009'><em>Initial.</em> “Fairview”</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_40'>40</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>20.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>House Sparrows and Junco</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_020'>41</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>21.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Junco</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_021'>42</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>22.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Female House Sparrow and nest</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_022'>43</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'><span class='pageno' id='Page_xii'>xii</span>23.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Screech Owl</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_023'>44</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>&#160;</td>
+    <td class='c009'><em>Initial.</em> Chickadee</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_47'>47</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>24.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Chickadee on ground</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_024'>49</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>25.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Chickadee taking piece of bread</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_025'>50</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>26.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>A bird in the hand</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_026'>51</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>27.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Chickadee at nest hole</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_027'>54</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>28.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Chickadee at nest hole</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_028'>55</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>29.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>A Chickadee family</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_029'>58</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>30.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>A Chickadee family</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_030'>59</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>&#160;</td>
+    <td class='c009'><em>Initial.</em> Red-winged Blackbird</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_62'>62</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>31.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Least Bittern’s nesting site</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_031'>64</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>32.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Least Bittern’s nest and eggs</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_032'>66</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>33.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Least Bittern mimicking surroundings</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_033'>67</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>34.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Least Bittern mimicking surroundings</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_034'>68</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>35.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Young Red-winged Blackbirds</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_035'>71</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>36.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Least Bittern eating her eggs</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_036'>73</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>37.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Least Bittern on nest</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_037'>74</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>&#160;</td>
+    <td class='c009'><em>Initial.</em> Where the Night Herons feed</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_76'>76</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>38.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Five Night Herons’ nests in swamp maple</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_038'>79</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>39.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>A view in the Heron rookery</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_039'>80</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>40.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Night Heron feeding</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_040'>81</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>41.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Young Night Herons in nest</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_041'>82</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>42.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Young Night Herons leaving nest</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_042'>83</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>43.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Young Night Herons on branches</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_043'>84</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>44.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Great Blue Heron, nests and young</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_044'>88</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>&#160;</td>
+    <td class='c009'><em>Initial.</em> Tree Swallows on wires</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_89'>89</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>45.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Hackensack marshes in August</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_045'>91</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>46.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Marsh mallows</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_046'>93</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>47.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Wild rice</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_047'>94</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>48.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Tree Swallows on wires</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_048'>97</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>49.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Tree Swallows in tree</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_049'>100</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>50.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Tree Swallows on wire and at pile</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_050'>102</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>51.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Swallows in the road</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_051'>104</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>&#160;</td>
+    <td class='c009'><em>Initial.</em> A corner of Penikese</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_106'>106</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>52.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Nesting site, nest, and three eggs of Common Tern</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_052'>110</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>53.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Tern hovering above nest</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_053'>111</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>54.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Nest and eggs of Tern on upland</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_054'>112</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'><span class='pageno' id='Page_xiii'>xiii</span>55.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Tern’s nest and eggs in drift <em>débris</em></td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_055'>113</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>56.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Young Tern hiding on rocky beach</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_056'>114</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>57.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Young Tern hiding in the grass</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_057'>115</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>58.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Tern alighting on nest</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_058'>116</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>59.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Tern on hillside nest</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_059'>117</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>60.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Tern’s nest and hatching eggs in seaweed</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_060'>118</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>61.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Tern about to feed young</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_061'>119</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>62.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Tern brooding young</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_062'>120</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>63.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Tern on beach nest</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_063'>121</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>64.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Tern on beach nest</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_064'>121</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>65.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Tern on upland nest</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_065'>122</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>66.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Young Terns about four days old</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_066'>123</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>67.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Young Tern about a week old</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_067'>124</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>68.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Young Tern, second plumage appearing</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_068'>124</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>69.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Young Tern, further advance of second plumage</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_069'>125</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>70.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Young Tern, stage before flight</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_070'>126</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>&#160;</td>
+    <td class='c009'><em>Initial.</em> A Percé codfisher</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_128'>128</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>71.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Percé Rock from the north</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_071'>131</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>72.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Percé Rock from the southeast</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_072'>134</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>73.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Splitting cod on Percé beach</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_073'>136</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>74.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Young Savanna Sparrow</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_074'>137</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>75.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Gannet cliffs of Bonaventure</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_075'>140</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>76.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Cornel or bunchberry</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_076'>142</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>77.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>A ledge of nesting Gannets</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_077'>144</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>&#160;</td>
+    <td class='c009'><em>Initial.</em> Grosse Isle</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_146'>146</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>78.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Nest and eggs of Fox Sparrow</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_078'>148</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>79.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Young Guillemots</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_079'>150</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>&#160;</td>
+    <td class='c009'><em>Initial.</em> The Bird Rock light</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_152'>152</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>80.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Bird Rock from the southwest</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_080'>153</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>81.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>North side of Bird Rock</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_081'>156</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>82.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>A corner of the Rock</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_082'>160</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>83.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>The landing at the base of the Rock</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_083'>164</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>84.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>The landing on top of the Rock</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_084'>165</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>85.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Kittiwakes and young on nests</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_085'>168</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>86.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>The lighthouse, keeper’s dwelling, and other buildings</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_086'>169</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>87.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Razorbilled Auks and “Ringed” Murre</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_087'>170</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>88.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Puffins</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_088'>172</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'><span class='pageno' id='Page_xiv'>xiv</span>89.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Murre’s egg</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_089'>174</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>90.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Young Murres and egg</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_090'>175</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>91.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Kittiwakes and young on nests</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_091'>176</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>92.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Entrance to Puffin’s burrow</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_092'>177</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>93.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Puffin’s nest and egg</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_093'>178</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>94.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Young Puffin on nest</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_094'>179</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>95.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Leach’s Petrel on nest</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_095'>180</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>96.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Young Leach’s Petrel with nesting material</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_096'>181</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>97.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Young Gannet</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_097'>182</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>98.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Gannets</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_098'>183</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>99.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Gannets on nests</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_099'>186</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>100.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Gannet on nest</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_100'>188</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>&#160;</td>
+    <td class='c009'><em>Initial.</em> Young Pelicans in nest tree</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_191'>191</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>101.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Pelicans on ground nests</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_101'>197</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>102.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Interviewing a group of young Pelicans</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_102'>198</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>103.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Among the Pelicans</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_103'>199</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>104.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Head and pouch of Pelican</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_104'>200</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>105.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Pelican’s pouch from above</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_105'>201</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>106.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Newly hatched Pelicans and nests</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_106'>206</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>107.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Young Pelican in tree nest</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_107'>208</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>108.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Young Pelican, downy stage</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_108'>209</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>109.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Young Pelican, wing quills appearing</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_109'>211</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>110.</td>
+    <td class='c009'>Young Pelicans, stage preceding flight</td>
+    <td class='c010'><a href='#i_110'>212</a></td>
+  </tr>
+</table>
+
+<div class='chapter ph1'>
+
+<div class='nf-center-c0'>
+<div class='nf-center c001'>
+    <div>BIRD STUDIES WITH A CAMERA</div>
+    <div class='c004'><span class='large'>WITH INTRODUCTORY CHAPTERS ON THE OUTFIT AND METHODS OF THE BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER</span></div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+
+</div>
+
+<div>
+  <span class='pageno' id='Page_1'>1</span>
+  <h2 class='c006'>INTRODUCTION</h2>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c007'><em>What is Bird Photography?</em>—Bird photography,
+as I would encourage its practice, does not mean
+simply photographing birds; it means the use of
+the camera as an aid in depicting the life histories
+of birds. A picture of the bird itself is, of course, of
+the first importance, but any fact in its biography
+which the camera can be employed to portray is
+within the province of bird photography.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><em>The Scientific Value of Bird Photography.</em>—There
+are certain matters, such as a bird’s song, its time of
+migration, etc., which must be set forth with the
+pen; there are others, such as its haunts, nesting
+site, nest, eggs, the appearance and development of
+its young, where the camera is so far ahead of the
+pen in its power of graphic representation that it
+is a waste of time to use the former when circumstances
+permit the utilization of the latter.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>A photograph of a marsh or wood showing the
+favorite haunts of a species is worth more than
+pages of description. A picture of a bird’s nesting
+site conveys a better idea of the situation than
+words can possibly give, while in place of such
+vague phrases as “nest of coarse grasses, weed
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_2'>2</span>stalks, rootlets, etc., lined with finer materials,” we
+have a faithful delineation of the nest itself. The
+shape and pattern of markings of the eggs may also
+be well shown with the camera, while the appearance
+of the young at birth, their development, and
+often the manner in which they are fed, may all be
+portrayed by the camera with a realism which convinces
+one of the truthfulness of the result.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>By the exercise of much patience and ingenuity
+we may also photograph the adult bird, showing it
+at rest or in motion, brooding its eggs or caring for
+its young. Under favorable conditions such pictures
+may possess an exactness of detail which
+makes them perfect representations of the original,
+giving not alone position and expression, but the
+arrangement of the feathers, and they then have
+scientific value unequaled by the best productions
+of the artist’s brush or pencil.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>From the nature of the case, perfection in this
+branch of bird photography is not always attained;
+nevertheless, even pictures which are failures from
+a photographic standpoint may be of interest to
+the naturalist. They may be lacking in detail and
+still give pose, thus furnishing models from which
+drawings containing all structural essentials may
+be made.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The camera may also supply us with graphic
+records of the few large colonies of birds yet existing
+in this country, thereby preserving for all time
+definite impressions of conditions which are rapidly
+becoming things of the past.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>What an invaluable addition to the history of
+the Great Auk would be a series of photographs
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_3'>3</span>from Funk Island, taken during the period of its
+existence there!</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Of what surpassing interest would be photographs
+of the former flights of Wild Pigeons, which
+the younger generations of to-day can with difficulty
+believe occurred!</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><em>The Charm of Bird Photography.</em>—As a onetime
+sportsman, who yielded to none in his enjoyment
+of the chase, I can affirm that there is a fascination
+about the hunting of wild animals with a
+camera as far ahead of the pleasure to be derived
+from their pursuit with shotgun or rifle as the sport
+found in shooting Quail is beyond that of breaking
+clay “Pigeons”. Continuing the comparison, from a
+sportsman’s standpoint, hunting with a camera is
+the highest development of man’s inherent love of
+the chase.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The killing of a bird with a gun seems little
+short of murder after one has attempted to capture
+its image with a lens. The demands on the
+skill and patience of the bird photographer are endless,
+and his pleasure is intensified in proportion
+to the nature of the difficulties to be overcome, and
+in the event of success it is perpetuated by the infinitely
+more satisfactory results obtained. He does
+not rejoice over a bag of mutilated flesh and feathers,
+but in the possession of a trophy—an eloquent
+token of his prowess as a hunter, a talisman which
+holds the power of revivifying the circumstances
+attending its acquisition.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>What mental vision of falling birds can be as
+potent as the actual picture of living birds in their
+homes? And how immeasurably one’s memories are
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_4'>4</span>brightened by the fact that this is not a picture of
+what has been but of what is!</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The camera thus opens the door to a field of sport
+previously closed to those who love birds too much
+to find pleasure in killing them; to whom Bob-White’s
+ringing whistle does not give rise to murderous
+speculations as to the number in his family,
+but to an echo of the season’s joy which his note
+voices. They therefore have a new incentive to take
+them out of doors; for however much we love Nature
+for Nature’s sake, there are few of us whose
+pleasure in an outing is not intensified by securing
+some definite, lasting result.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>We are not all poets and seers, finding sufficient
+reward for a hard day’s tramp in a sunset glow or
+the song of a bird. Enjoy these things as we may,
+who would not like to perpetuate the one or the
+other in some tangible form?</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>And here we have one of the reasons for the collecting
+of birds and eggs long after the collector’s
+needs are satisfied. He goes on duplicating and
+reduplicating merely to appease the almost universal
+desire to possess any admired although useless
+object. Once let him appreciate, however, the pleasure
+of hunting with a camera, the greater skill required,
+and the infinitely greater value of the results
+to be obtained, and he will have no further use for
+gun, climbing irons, and egg drill.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Furthermore, the camera hunter possesses the advantage
+over the so-called true sportsman, in that all
+is game that falls to his gun; there is not a bird too
+small or too tame to be unworthy of his attention;
+nor are there seasonal restrictions to be observed,
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_5'>5</span>nor temptations to break game laws, but every day
+in the year he is free to go afield, and at all times
+he may find something to claim his attention.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Finally, there is to be added to the special charm
+of bird photography the general charm attending
+the use of the camera. Thousands of people are
+finding pleasure in the comparatively prosaic employment
+of photographing houses, bridges, and
+other patiently immovable objects wholly at the
+camerist’s mercy. Imagine, then, the far greater
+enjoyment of successes not only of real value in
+themselves, but undeniable tributes to one’s skill
+both as photographer and hunter.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Nor should this introduction be closed without
+due acknowledgment to the educational value of
+photography, to its power to widen the scope of our
+vision, and to increase our appreciation of the beautiful.
+There is a magic in the lens, the ground glass,
+and the dark-cloth which transform the commonest
+object into a thing of rarest interest.</p>
+
+<div  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/p_005.jpg' alt='[Bird]' class='ig001'>
+</div>
+
+<div class='chapter'>
+  <span class='pageno' id='Page_6'>6</span>
+  <h2 class='c006'>THE OUTFIT AND METHODS OF THE BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER</h2>
+</div>
+<h3 class='c013'>THE BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER’S OUTFIT</h3>
+
+<div class='c014'>
+  <img class='drop-capi' src='images/di_006.jpg' width='100' alt=''>
+</div><p class='drop-capi_8'>
+The beginner must not suppose that
+good bird photographs can be
+made only with expensive apparatus.
+Under favorable conditions
+there is no great difference in the
+results secured with the ordinary
+camera and lens of any reputable
+maker and those of the highest class. My own
+work has for the greater part been done with an
+outfit costing about thirty dollars; and although
+the best lens is, of course, to be desired it is not a
+necessity, and cost therefore is no more an obstacle
+to the hunting of birds with a camera than it is
+to their pursuit with a gun.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><em>The Camera.</em>—Individual taste will doubtless
+govern the size of the camera chosen, but most naturalists
+and sportsmen consider the camera carrying a
+plate four by five inches as the one best adapted to
+their wants, and with this decision I heartily agree.
+The advantages of size, weight, and economy, both
+as regards the camera, its holders, and plates, are all
+in favor of the 4 × 5, while as far as the bird photographer
+is concerned, it is not often that he has
+need of anything larger. The image of a bird will
+rarely be without adequate setting in a space four
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_7'>7</span>by five inches, which will also be found to be large
+enough for the portrayal of nests and eggs.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The 4 × 5 also reduces proportionately in making
+lantern slides, and if the picture is made the long
+way of the plate—that is, higher than broad—it can
+be easily adapted for illustrative purposes in duodecimo
+or octavo books. When a larger picture is
+desired it can readily be made by enlargement, an
+increase in size of three diameters, or six times the
+area, being possible from a sharp negative without
+undue loss of definition.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>For use from a tripod any one of the several excellent
+long-focus cameras now on the market will
+be found to answer every requirement. If it is proposed
+to employ a telephoto lens, care should be
+taken to select the camera combining greatest bellows
+length with rigidity. A reversible back increases
+the size somewhat but adds to the length of
+bellows, and will be found serviceable in the many
+awkward situations in which the bird photographer
+is often placed by the nature of his subjects.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The Kearton brothers have an “adjustable miniature”
+on the top of their camera, which they state
+“is used as a sort of view finder when making studies
+of flying birds. When fixed in position and its
+focus has been set exactly like its working companion
+beneath it, both are racked out in the same
+ratio by the screw dominating the larger apparatus.”<a id='rA'></a><a href='#fA' class='c015'><sup>[A]</sup></a>
+The purposes of this attachment, however,
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_8'>8</span>will, it seems probable, be better served by the reflecting
+camera described below, while as a finder
+alone its place may be taken by the “iconoscope”
+and other of the prism finders, the brilliant image
+cast by which is such a striking and satisfactory
+improvement on the hazy outlines given by the
+average so-called “finder.”</p>
+
+<div class='footnote' id='fA'>
+<p class='c008'><a href='#rA'>A</a>. From Wild Life at Home, how to Study and Photograph It,
+by R. Kearton, illustrated by C. Kearton; a work of the utmost
+interest to the animal photographer, who should also read With
+Nature and a Camera, by the same authors (Cassell &#38; Co.).</p>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>For use as a hand-box only two kinds of camera
+are available, for it must be borne in mind that
+the set-focus or short-focus, wide angle “snap-shot”
+cameras, so popular among the button-pressing fraternity,
+are not adapted to the wants of the bird
+photographer, who must therefore avail himself of
+either a twin-lens or a reflecting camera.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Twin-lens cameras are manufactured by several
+well-known firms, but the trade size is of too short
+focus to be desirable. In this type of camera two
+lenses of equal foci are employed. They are set one
+above the other in bellows, which move as one. The
+lower lens makes the picture, the upper projects a
+duplicate of the image cast by the lower lens to a
+mirror set at an angle of forty-five degrees to the
+plane of the plate, whence it is reflected upward to
+a ground glass, which is protected by a hood, on top
+of the camera.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>To focus perfectly the lenses should be “matched”
+or “paired”—in short, interchangeable—thereby
+greatly increasing the cost of the camera, which is
+also rendered objectionable by its large size.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The reflecting camera possesses all the advantages
+of the twin-lens, but requires only one lens,
+and when in use is not materially larger than the
+ordinary 4 × 5 long-focus box.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_9'>9</span>The reflecting camera now in my possession was
+designed and made by John Rowley, of the American
+Museum of Natural History, and was fully described
+and illustrated by him in Bird-Lore for
+April, 1900. It resembles the upper half of the twin-lens
+camera in that a mirror, set at an angle of
+forty-five degrees to the plate, is interposed between
+the latter and the lens, and reflects its image to a
+ground glass on top of the camera. This mirror,
+however, is movable, and the desired object appearing
+in focus on the ground glass, a lever is pressed
+downward which raises the mirror to the top of the
+box, where it automatically releases a focal-plane
+shutter (see beyond, under The Shutter) directly in
+front of the plate, when the image-bearing rays, before
+intercepted and reflected by the mirror, are
+registered on the plate, from which the slide had
+previously been drawn.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>When the focal-plane or curtain shutter has been
+set and the slide drawn from the plate holder, this
+camera is like a cocked gun, which may be fired the
+moment it is sighted; or, in other words, the exposure
+may be made the instant focus is secured.
+With this camera one may take advantage of any
+offering opportunity to secure a picture of a bird
+or beast when afield, and this fact, by increasing
+the possibilities of an outing, adds greatly to its
+pleasure.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Mr. Rowley has so designed this camera that it
+may be used from a tripod as well as in the hands;
+but when the tripod camera is to be left, perhaps
+for hours, hidden near some bird’s nest, I prefer to
+employ the long-focus for this purpose, and retain
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_10'>10</span>the reflecting camera for possible use on the birds
+that so often approach closely when one is in hiding.
+The advantages possessed by this camera are so apparent
+that it doubtless will soon be placed on the
+market.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><em>The Lens.</em>—Professional photographers differ so
+widely in their opinions of the relative qualities of
+the various makes of lenses now on the market, that
+I approach this subject with diffidence, and, without
+presuming to offer advice, present the results of my
+experience both as to lenses and the requirements of
+the bird photographer. In regard to the latter phase
+of the much-discussed question of  “What lens shall
+I use?” I may speak with more confidence. For
+nests with eggs or young birds—subjects which may
+be approached closely—a six- to eight-inch-focus lens
+forms a large enough image, and at the same time
+gives depth of focus and sharpness of definition
+without the use of the smaller diaphragms. In photographing
+birds, however, it is generally difficult
+to get within “shooting” distance, and at least a
+fourteen- to sixteen-inch lens is needed in order to
+secure an image of sufficient size. Depth of focus
+is here, in my opinion, not desirable, and the focal
+point—the bird—is brought out more clearly by the
+fusion of all the objects back of it into a uniform
+background.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>When a bird, either young or old, is the subject,
+great speed may be required, and sometimes under
+light conditions which severely test the qualities of
+the lens. To fully meet these demands of distance
+and time two lenses would be needed; but, aside
+from the increased cost and the inconvenience of
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_11'>11</span>using two lenses, the great size and weight of a
+long-focus lens are drawbacks. These objections are
+largely overcome by the use of the symmetrical
+lenses placed in most of the long-focus boxes, or, if
+expense be not considered, by a “convertible” lens.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>For several years I have used a “Victor” lens,
+sold with the “Premo” long-focus camera. The
+combined focus of the front and back lenses is seven
+and a half inches, of either of the lenses alone, fifteen
+inches. The single lens therefore, the distance
+being the same, gives an image double the size of
+that cast by the two lenses together.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>This lens has been thoroughly tested, and many
+of the pictures given in this book were made with it.
+When the conditions are favorable and the subject
+not extremely difficult it yields satisfactory results.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The “convertible” lenses of various makers are
+also separable, and where the rear and front lenses
+are of different foci three focal lengths are obtainable.
+These lenses are of the highest grade, and
+consequently expensive. In a bright light, or where
+great speed is not required, they do not seem to be
+as superior to the trade lens as the much higher
+price would lead one to expect. But in dull days, or
+in the shadow, or where extremely rapid exposures
+are necessary, their superior qualities become evident.
+My experience with these convertible lenses
+has been limited to the Zeiss Anastigmat, Series
+VII <em>a</em>, of which I am now using a No. 10 with a
+combined focus of eight inches, the front and rear
+lenses both having a focal length of fourteen inches.
+This combination is preferred to one in which the
+component lenses are of different foci, because of the
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_12'>12</span>greater speed of the two when combined, and furthermore,
+because, being of the same focus, they
+could, if occasion arose, be used in a twin-lens box.
+The speed of the combination is registered at F. 6.3;
+that of the single lenses at 12.5. With the former
+the most rapid exposures can be made successfully,
+while the latter are sufficiently fast to permit of
+ordinary instantaneous work. This lens is stated
+to cover a 5 × 8½ plate, and when in use on a 4 × 5
+camera gives a high degree of illumination and perfect
+definition.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The telephoto lens may be employed in certain
+kinds of bird photography with not unsatisfactory
+results. Its disadvantages are lack of speed, an exposure
+of at least one half a second to a second being
+required at F. 8 in bright sunlight, the necessity
+of extreme care in focusing, and of absolute rigidity
+of the camera at the time of making the exposure.
+In short, the telephotographer needs more time,
+both before and after pressing his bulb, than the
+bird photographer is often accorded. However, with
+such subjects as nests high in trees or on cliffs,
+Herons and other shore-inhabiting birds, Ducks on
+the water or Hawks perched in leafless trees, the
+telephoto will be found serviceable.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Negatives are frequently secured in which the
+figure of the bird, while small, is sharp, when, by
+enlargement, a desirable picture can be made of
+what in the original was too small to be easily distinguishable.
+An increase in size of two diameters
+is possible from any fairly sharp negative, but if the
+object be in perfect focus an increase of four diameters
+may be made.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_13'>13</span>These enlargements may be made with an enlarging
+camera or with the aid of a Nehring enlarging
+lens, which is placed between the front and back
+lenses of the view lens, when, with the ordinary
+long-focus camera, a magnification of about four
+diameters may be obtained, the image being thrown
+on to a piece of bromide paper in the plate holder.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Through enlargement many apparently worthless
+negatives become of value, and in some instances
+pictures can be made from different parts of
+the same negative. From the sportsman-photographer’s
+standpoint there is, however, one objection
+to the use of a magnifying lens. It gives deceptive
+results, and those who are not familiar with its
+powers are apt to accord the photographer undue
+praise for his apparent skill in successfully approaching
+some bird or beast which may have been
+far out of range. A not wholly unrelated kind of
+enlargement is sometimes applied to the contents of
+creels and game bags!</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>But the animal photographer is so heavily handicapped
+that in this case the end assuredly justifies
+the means. As a matter of information, however, it
+seems eminently desirable to accompany all enlarged
+pictures by a statement of the extent of their magnification,
+and throughout this book this plan is followed.
+Consequently, when there is no mention of
+enlargement, it may be accepted as a fact that the
+print from which the reproduction was made was
+obtained from the negative by contact.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>In illustration of these suggestions in regard to
+the proper lenses for bird photography, a series of
+pictures is presented which shows the results to be
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_14'>14</span>obtained under the same conditions with different
+lenses.</p>
+
+<div id='i_002'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<img src='images/i_002.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>2. Lens Test No. 1. Mounted Flicker on fence post, distance fifty feet. Eight-inch focus, Zeiss Convertible, No. 10, Series VII <em>a</em> lens; diaphragm F. 8, ¹⁄₂₅ second; Cramer “Crown” plate. Photographed at noon, in sunlight, November 30, 1899.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<div id='i_003'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_15'>15</span>
+<img src='images/i_003.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>3. The bird in Test No. 1 enlarged about three diameters.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>Placing a mounted Flicker (<em>Colaptes auratus</em>) on
+a fence post, and setting up my tripod at a measured
+distance of fifty feet, a series of test exposures was
+made, of which three are presented as follows: First,<sup>2</sup>
+eight-inch lens (Zeiss Convertible Series VII <em>a</em>, No.
+10), stop F. 8, time ¹⁄₂₅ second; second,<sup>4</sup> fourteen-inch
+front lens of the combination, stop F. 16 (equivalent
+to F. 4 of the eight-inch); third,<sup>6</sup> telephoto attachment
+with eight-inch lens, twenty-one-inch bellows,
+stop F. 8 of the eight-inch, time one second. Commenting
+on the results of these tests it may first be
+mentioned that in the “Unicum” shutter employed
+exposures of a so-called “¹⁄₁₀₀” and “¹⁄₂₅” seconds gave
+exactly the same results both with the combined
+eight-inch lens and the front fourteen-inch lens; the
+actual time, however, was doubtless not far from ¹⁄₂₅
+of a second. The negatives, therefore, show, in the
+first place, that the long-focus lens is capable of
+doing fairly rapid work. Continuing our comparison,
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_16'>16</span>we observe that the eight-inch gives a fairly
+wide field, excellent depth of focus, but a very small
+image of the bird, for which alone the picture has
+been made. With the fourteen-inch we decrease the
+extent of the field nearly one half and almost double
+the size of the object pictured. This, however, has
+been done at the loss of depth of focus, not even the
+first of the line of posts running directly into the
+background being sharply defined, while with the
+eight-inch all are in focus.</p>
+
+<div id='i_004'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<img src='images/i_004.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>4. Lens Test No. 2. Same subject, distance, plate, and date as Test No. 1. Front lens (fourteen-inch focus) of Zeiss Convertible, No. 10; diaphragm F. 16; ¹⁄₂₅ second.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<div id='i_005'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_17'>17</span>
+<img src='images/i_005.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>5. The bird in Test No. 2 enlarged about three diameters.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>The telephoto gives an enlargement of about six
+diameters of the image thrown by eight-inch lens,
+and three diameters increase of that of the fourteen-inch
+lens. It practically restricts the picture to the
+immediate surroundings of the bird, and is without
+focal depth.</p>
+
+<div id='i_006'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_18'>18</span>
+<img src='images/i_006.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>6. Lens Test No. 3. Same subject, distance, plate, and date as Tests Nos. 2 and 3. Eight-inch Zeiss Convertible, Series VII <em>a</em>, No. 10, with telephoto attachment; diaphragm F. 8; twenty-one-inch bellows; one second (½ second was later found to be full time).</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>Having now made three good negatives in the
+field, we may, by enlargement, improve on the image
+of the bird obtained. The possibilities in this direction
+are clearly shown by the three enlargements
+accompanying the contact prints from their respective
+negatives. In each instance the enlargement is
+about three diameters, and the telephoto negative
+of course furnishes the most satisfactory picture.
+When the difficulties of telephotography are considered,
+however, and the ¹⁄₂₅-second exposure of the
+fourteen-inch lens, which permits of hand work, is
+compared with the one second of the telephoto, we
+believe that for general work in photographing
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_19'>19</span>birds a lens having a focal length of at least fourteen
+inches will be found the most satisfactory.
+It should be added that, in order to make them
+wholly comparable, the three contact prints as well
+as the enlargements were made on enameled bromide
+paper.</p>
+
+<div id='i_007'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<img src='images/i_007.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>7. The bird in Test No. 3 enlarged about three diameters.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'><em>The Shutter.</em>—For fairly rapid, slow, and time
+exposures, a lens shutter, such as is sold with trade
+cameras, will be found suitable. Simplicity and
+noiselessness are the chief requirements in this kind
+of a shutter. The “Iris Diaphragm” shutter is noiseless
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_20'>20</span>when used for slow exposures of two or three
+seconds, a matter of much importance in making
+time pictures of sitting birds, who are apt to turn
+their head if they hear the click of the shutter. This
+shutter, however, does not respond quickly in slow
+exposures and is very heavy, a disadvantage in telephotography.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The “Unicum” shutter is lighter, responds quickly,
+has a lever to which a thread may be attached
+for making exposures from a distance, can be easily
+diaphragmed from the rear, but is not wholly noiseless.
+There are also other shutters, each possessing
+good points of its own, and the selection of any one of
+them for use in medium rapid, slow, or time work
+can be left to the photographer, who should, however,
+remember that the time scales on these shutters
+represent degrees of difference and not exact measurements
+of time, and that there is great variation
+in the exposures of different shutters of the same
+make when similarly adjusted. Thus the “one fifth
+of a second” of one shutter may be equivalent to
+the “one second” of another. The scale on most of
+these shutters calls for a speed not exceeding a ¹⁄₁₀₀
+part of a second, but this is far too slow an exposure
+to successfully photograph a flying bird at short
+range where a speed of at least ¹⁄₅₀₀ of a second is
+required.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>For very rapid work the choice is limited to one
+kind of shutter—that is, the focal-plane, which in
+effect is a curtain with an adjustable slit which is
+placed directly in front of the plate. Great speed
+with this shutter is in part secured by increasing
+the tension of the spring, which acts as its motive
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_21'>21</span>power, but more particularly by decreasing the
+width of the slit. Assuming, therefore, that it
+takes one second for the slit to pass from top to bottom
+of a plate four inches high, and that the slit is
+one inch in width, it follows that each portion of
+the plate is exposed to the light for a quarter of a
+second. Decreasing the width of the slit one half,
+proportionally reduces the time of the exposure,
+and by this means, in connection with an increase in
+the speed with which the curtain is moved, an exposure
+of ¹⁄₁₀₀₀ of a second is possible.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>In addition to possessing the advantage of great
+speed, this shutter also passes a higher percentage of
+light than a lens shutter even when the actual time
+of the so-called exposure is the same. This is due
+to the fact that the lens opening is in no way affected,
+it being the same throughout the exposure.
+With a lens shutter, on the contrary, the full value
+of the opening is given for only a fractional part of
+the exposure, the parts of the shutter more or less
+filling the opening during the rest of the time.
+With a focal-plane shutter, therefore, one may do
+rapid work under conditions where a lens shutter
+could not be successfully employed; time exposures,
+however, can not be made with the focal-plane
+shutter, and for all-around work the camera
+should be fitted with both a lens and a focal-plane
+shutter.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The reflecting camera, as before stated, is fitted
+with a focal-plane shutter, and, as described, it is
+released by pressing the lever, which raises the mirror.
+Lens shutters, however, are released by a
+pneumatic bulb, or in some cases by a thread or
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_22'>22</span>string. When the exposure is to be made from a
+distance as much as one hundred feet of tubing may
+be employed. With any length of over twenty-five
+feet an extra large bulb is required. The ordinary
+tubing sold by photographers will not be found so
+well adapted to long-distance work as a less elastic
+kind, which does not so readily yield to pressure and
+transmits a larger portion of the force applied when
+squeezing the bulb.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><em>The Tripod.</em>—A stout two-length tripod is to be
+preferred to one of the slender multifolding type, in
+which stability is sacrificed to weight and size. The
+legs, except the inner sides of the upper section into
+which the lower section slides, and brass work should
+be painted bark color in order to make them as inconspicuous
+as possible. For use in the water a
+metal tripod will prove more serviceable than one
+of wood.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>A very useful substitute for a tripod is the
+“Graphic” ball-and-socket clamp designed more
+especially for bicycle camerists. With it a camera
+can easily be attached to the limb of a tree, rung of
+a ladder, or, by screwing a block on to the head of
+the tripod, it may be employed in connection with
+the tripod—in fact its applicability will be evident
+to every one using it.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><em>Plates.</em>—Among the many excellent brands of
+plates now offered to photographers there is really
+very little difference. However, it is advisable to
+select the one you think the most rapid and use it
+to the exclusion of all others. Under certain circumstances—in
+photographing Robins, for instance—isochromatic
+plates will be found desirable, and
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_23'>23</span>where a strong head light can not be avoided nonhalation
+plates may be employed.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>So much industry, skill, and patience are generally
+required of the bird photographer before he
+makes an exposure that he should guard against all
+chances of failure from the photographic side. It is
+therefore advisable to thoroughly test plates which
+it is probable may be exposed on a very difficult
+subject. Under no circumstances should the plate
+holders be needlessly exposed to the light, and when
+the camera is to be left for an indefinite period with
+the slide drawn from the holder and plate ready to
+expose, it should be carefully wrapped in the dark-cloth.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><em>Blinds.</em>—As the sportsman constructs blinds in
+which he may conceal himself from his prey, so the
+bird photographer may employ various means of
+hiding from his subjects. The Keartons recommend
+an artificial tree trunk for use in wooded places and
+an artificial rubbish heap for open fields. The former
+may be made of light duck, painted to resemble
+bark, and placed over a frame.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The frame of the Keartons’ is of bamboo, but I
+find white pine answers very well, the main things
+to be considered being lightness and portability.
+The frame should therefore be collapsible in order
+that it may be easily packed.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The Keartons’ field blind or “rubbish heap” consists
+of an umbrella, to each of the ribs of which
+strips of bamboo four feet in length are tied. This
+is then covered with light brown holland and wisps
+of straw tied over it in such a way as to “virtually
+thatch the whole structure.” Doubtless cornstalks
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_24'>24</span>properly arranged would make an excellent field
+blind.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>It is difficult to carry one of these blinds in
+addition to a camera, etc., without assistance, and
+I fear that the inconvenience attending their use
+will restrict them to the few enthusiasts who count
+neither time, labor, nor cost in attaining a desired
+end.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>For my own part, I prefer, when possible, to conceal
+my camera and make the exposure from a distance
+rather than to weight myself with a portable
+blind and to endure the discomforts of being confined
+within it.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><em>Sundries.</em>—The bird photographer will find that
+he requires numerous articles not usually to be found
+in the regulation photographic outfit, as, for example,
+climbers for ascending trees and stout cords for
+hauling the camera up after him; a dark-cloth, green
+in color, to aid in disguising the camera, and a mirror.
+The latter should be of plate glass, and measure
+at least twelve by ten inches. A good plan is to
+buy a piece of glass of desired size and frame it simply
+in white pine. It may then be attached to a
+limb, a stick driven in the ground, or other convenient
+object, by means of the ball-and-socket clamp
+mentioned under Tripods, which may be screwed into
+the back or the outer border of the frame. Such a
+mirror will reflect sunlight many yards to shaded
+nests, where, in photographing old or young birds, a
+quick exposure is necessary. A vest-pocket mirror,
+for use in reflecting the reading of the diaphragms
+or time on the shutter, will permit one to make the
+desired changes from the rear, and thus prove helpful
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_25'>25</span>when conditions do not permit one to work in
+front of the camera.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>A device which might be arranged on the principle
+of a trap, the trigger to be sprung and exposure
+made when the bait is taken, would doubtless capture
+some interesting pictures. An apparatus connected
+with an automatically fired flash-light, has
+been employed by Mr. G. A. Shiras, of Pittsburg, in
+photographing deer at night, with phenomenal success.
+The connection with the camera shutter was
+so made that the deer, in walking, touched a cord
+which exploded the flash-light, and, at the same moment,
+made the exposure. The light weight of most
+birds, however, requires a much more delicate apparatus,
+while an even greater difficulty is found in
+the movement caused by the release of the trigger,
+which startles the bird just as the exposure is
+made.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Thus far in my experiments I have been unable
+to overcome these objections, but I trust some other
+bird photographer will be more successful.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Those who are ambitious in the direction of cliff
+photography I would refer to the Keartons’ admirable
+treatise on the subject in their Wild Life at
+Home, for a description of the paraphernalia needed
+and the manner in which it should be used. My
+own experience in this line is limited, and I confess
+to the utter absence of a desire to increase it!</p>
+
+<div class='chapter'>
+  <span class='pageno' id='Page_26'>26</span>
+  <h2 class='c006'>THE METHODS OF THE BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER</h2>
+</div>
+
+<div class='c007'>
+  <img class='drop-capi' src='images/di_026.jpg' width='100' alt=''>
+</div><p class='drop-capi_8'>
+Claiming no special knowledge of
+the technique of pure photography,
+I would refer the beginner to
+any of the several excellent books
+designed to explain the rudiments
+of optical and chemical photography,
+and to instruct in regard to
+the matters of exposing, developing, printing, etc.
+Only such suggestions are given here, therefore, as
+relate directly to the manner in which birds, their
+nests, eggs, and haunts may be photographed.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><em>Haunts.</em>—Photographs of the characteristic
+haunts of birds should show not alone general topography,
+but should also be made with special reference
+to the bird’s feeding habits, which, more than
+anything else, govern the nature of the locality
+selected. Thus, a photograph of the home of the
+Woodcock would have added value if, in the immediate
+foreground, the “borings” made by this bird
+in probing the earth for food were evident; or a
+marsh scene, in which wild rice was conspicuous,
+would tell something of both the haunts and the
+food habits of the Reedbird and Red-winged Blackbird
+in August and September. In a similar way,
+pictures of wild cherry and dogwood trees, of bayberries
+and red cedar, which show both fruit and
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_27'>27</span>surroundings, are of interest in connection with the
+biographies of many birds.</p>
+
+<div id='i_008'  class='figright id004'>
+<img src='images/i_008.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>8. Spring.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<div id='i_009'  class='figleft id004'>
+<img src='images/i_009.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>9. Summer.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'><em>Seasons.</em>—The camera permits us to make so exact
+a record of the rise and fall of the year, as it is
+registered by vegetation,
+that we can actually
+compare existing
+conditions with those
+which prevailed at any
+previous time. Compare,
+for example, the
+series of four pictures<sup><a href='#i_008'>8</a>–<a href='#i_011'>11</a></sup>
+here presented,
+all made from the same
+point of view, in order
+to appreciate how graphically seasonal changes may
+be shown by the camera. In this instance, photography
+is of more service to the botanist than to the
+ornithologist; but every student of migration knows
+how closely related are
+the appearance of certain
+birds and flowers,
+and will readily
+appreciate, therefore,
+the value of a series
+of photographs of several
+different subjects,
+taken at short intervals,
+and showing the
+changes in vegetation due to the approach of summer
+or winter. In connection with such related
+phenomena as temperature, rainfall, and weather,
+these pictures form as accurate a record of the seasons
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_28'>28</span>as it is possible to make, and if data of this
+kind could be brought together from many selected
+localities, we should have an admirable basis for the
+intelligent study of certain phases of bird migration.</p>
+
+<div id='i_010'  class='figright id004'>
+<img src='images/i_010.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>10. Autumn.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'><em>Nests and Eggs</em>.—The
+photographing of
+nests is one of the simpler
+forms of bird photography,
+but in many
+instances success is
+achieved only through
+the exercise of much
+patience and ingenuity.</p>
+
+<div id='i_011'  class='figleft id004'>
+<img src='images/i_011.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>11. Winter.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>It should constantly
+be borne in mind, in photographing nests, that what
+is desired is not so much a picture of the nest alone
+as one which shows it in relation to its environment—in
+short, a picture of the nesting site is of more
+value than one of the
+nest only. It is advisable,
+however, to make
+at least three pictures,
+two<sup><a href='#i_012'>12</a>, <a href='#i_013'>13</a></sup> of which shall
+show the nature of the
+locality chosen, the
+other<sup><a href='#i_014'>14</a></sup> the character
+of the nest and its immediate
+surroundings.
+When the nest is not
+above five feet from the ground, little difficulty will
+be experienced in securing the desired picture.
+When on the ground it will sometimes be found
+helpful to put what naturally would be the rear
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_29'>29</span>leg of the tripod forward, <em>between</em> the other two,
+when it will serve as a brace from in front, and permit
+the camera to be tilted well downward without
+danger of its falling.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Nests at an elevation of seven or eight feet, in
+saplings, may be photographed by lengthening the
+tripod with short legs, each supplied with two staples
+or collars into which the ends of the tripod may
+be slipped; or a ladder or light scaffolding will
+sometimes be found necessary.</p>
+
+<div id='i_012'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_012.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>12. To show nest locality of: 1, Tree Swallow; 2, American Bittern; 3, Song Sparrow; 4, Maryland Yellow-throat; 5, Marsh Hawk, of which nesting site, nest, and young are shown in the two following pictures, Nos. 13 and 14. Meridian, N. Y., June 8, 1898.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>For photographing nests in trees the “Graphic”
+ball-and-socket clamp is of great assistance. With
+it the camera may be attached to a limb, or, if the
+limb is too large, a block may be nailed to it, thus
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_30'>30</span>furnishing a grip to which the clamp may be fastened.</p>
+
+<div id='i_013'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<img src='images/i_013.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>13. Nesting site, nest, and young of Marsh Hawk.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>Nests should be photographed from the side, but
+eggs should be photographed from above in order
+to show their position in the nest as they were arranged
+by the incubating bird. The nest should
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_31'>31</span>therefore never be tipped, nor should the eggs be
+touched, lest the value of the subject be destroyed.
+The markings of most birds’ eggs are already well
+known, but if photographs of them are desired they
+can be made from the thousands of eggshells with
+which ill-directed effort has stocked the cabinets of
+misguided oölogists.</p>
+
+<div id='i_014'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_014.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>14. Young Marsh Hawks and nest.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>It is not advisable to make photographs of nests
+in the sunlight, a diffused light giving greater detail.
+A screen of some thin white material should
+therefore be used as a shade when photographing
+nests exposed to the direct rays of the sun. This,
+however, will not be found necessary if the picture
+be made within two or three hours after sunrise,
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_32'>32</span>when the light is soft and the foliage comparatively
+motionless, permitting the use of a small diaphragm
+and a long exposure.</p>
+
+<div id='i_015'  class='figleft id004'>
+<img src='images/i_015.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>15. Young Great-crested Flycatcher.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'><em>Young Birds.</em>—The ease with which photographs
+of young birds may often be secured, the fact that
+with the camera their appearance and development
+may be more satisfactorily recorded than in any
+other way, makes their study by the photographer
+of exceeding importance. Photographs of young
+birds should of
+course be accompanied
+by notes on
+food, calls, special
+actions, etc., which
+the camera can not
+well portray.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The young bird
+is a worthy subject
+from the moment
+it leaves the shell
+until, as far as
+flight is concerned,
+it deserves to be
+ranked with its elders. When possible, series of
+pictures should be made showing the rate of growth
+of the same brood from the period of hatching to
+the date when the nest is deserted. Circumstances
+do not, however, often permit of the forming of
+these ideal series, and we must therefore photograph
+the young bird as we find him, either before or
+after<sup><a href='#i_015'>15</a></sup> he has made his initial flight, or as he is
+preparing for it.<sup><a href='#i_016'>16</a></sup></p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The suggestions made under the head of Birds’
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_33'>33</span>Nests and Eggs will apply in a general way to photographing
+young in the nest; but even when at
+rest in other respects, the rapid respiration of nestlings
+requires a quick exposure to insure sharpness
+of outline, and, when in the shadow, sufficient illumination
+can be secured only with the aid of a
+reflector.</p>
+
+<div id='i_016'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_016.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>16. Young Baltimore Orioles and nest.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'><em>Adult Birds.</em>—It is in photographing birds in the
+full possession of the powers of maturity that the
+bird photographer’s skill and patience are put to
+the most severe tests. It might be said that, from
+a strictly ornithological point of view, the results
+obtained do not in many instances justify the time
+expended. Success, however, in this field, as in many
+others, is not to be measured by the attainment of a
+certain end, but often by the experience gained in
+what, to one having only the ultimate object in
+view, may seem to have been fruitless effort.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_34'>34</span>In matching one’s ability as a hunter against the
+timidity and cunning of a bird, relations are established
+between the photographer and his subject
+which of necessity result in their becoming intimately
+associated.</p>
+
+<div id='i_017'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<img src='images/i_017.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>17. Wood Thrush on nest.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>Doubtless we shall never know just what birds
+think of the peculiar antics in which the camera
+enthusiast sometimes indulges, but certain it is that
+an attempt to photograph some of the most familiar
+and presumably best-known birds will open the
+photographer’s eyes to facts in their life histories
+of which he was previously in utter ignorance.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_35'>35</span>As a known and fixed point to which the bird
+may be expected to return, the nest offers the best
+opportunity to the bird photographer, and photographs
+of adult birds on or at their nests are more
+common than those taken under other conditions.<sup><a href='#i_017'>17</a>, <a href='#i_018'>18</a></sup></p>
+
+<div id='i_018'  class='figright id004'>
+<img src='images/i_018.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>18. Chestnut-sided Warbler on nest.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>Birds vary greatly in their attitude toward a
+camera which has been erected near their homes;
+some species paying
+little attention to it,
+and, after a short
+time, coming and going
+as though it had
+always been there,
+while others are suspicious
+of any object
+which changes the
+appearance of their
+surroundings.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>With the latter
+special precautions
+are necessary, and
+unusual care should
+be taken in working about their nests lest they be
+made to desert it. The long-focus lens is here of
+great service, for it enables one to secure a sufficiently
+large image from a distance of ten or twelve
+feet. Even then it will often be necessary to conceal
+or disguise the camera by covering it with the
+green dark-cloth, vines, and leaves. A rubber tube
+or thread of requisite length is then attached and
+the exposure is made from a distance.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>A dummy camera, composed of a box or log
+wrapped in a green cloth and placed on a tripod
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_36'>36</span>made from saplings, may sometimes be erected to
+advantage several days before one expects to attempt
+to photograph the bird, who in the meantime becomes
+accustomed to it and quickly returns to the
+nest after the real camera has been substituted.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The artificial tree trunk would doubtless be of
+assistance in some kinds of bird-at-the-nest photography,
+especially when one desired to secure pictures
+of the old bird feeding its young, and was obliged
+therefore to make the exposure at just the proper
+moment. In most instances, however, there is sufficient
+undergrowth in the immediate vicinity to
+afford concealment, from which with the aid of a
+glass one may take note of events.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>With the reflecting camera one may stalk birds
+on foot or with a boat, or “squeak” them into range
+by kissing the back of the hand vigorously, a sound
+which, during the nesting season especially, arouses
+much curiosity or anxiety in the bird’s mind.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The decoys, blinds, batteries, sneak boxes, etc., of
+the sportsman are also at the disposal of the hunter
+with a camera, though I must admit that my one
+outing to photograph bay birds over decoys resulted
+in an empty bag. It was in the spring, however,
+when the bay birds surviving had experienced two
+shooting seasons and were exceedingly wild. In the
+fall, with birds born the preceding summer, one
+might be more successful.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Birds may be sometimes brought within range
+of the camera by baiting them with food, and, after
+they have learned to expect it, placing the camera
+in suitable position. This may be most easily
+done when there is snow on the ground, at which
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_37'>37</span>time hunger makes most birds less suspicious of
+danger.</p>
+
+<div id='i_019'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<img src='images/i_019.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>19. Catbird scolding.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>From a considerable experience which, through
+poor equipment, has not yielded adequate return, I am
+convinced that one may secure excellent pictures of
+many birds by decoying them with either a mounted
+or living Owl; doubtless the latter would be preferable,
+though I have never tried it. With a poorly
+mounted Screech Owl, however, I have had some
+excellent opportunities to photograph. My plan is
+to select some spot where birds are numerous, preferably
+near the home of a Catbird,<sup><a href='#i_019'>19</a></sup> place the Owl in
+a conspicuous position, and erect near it a “scolding
+perch,” from which the protesting bird may conveniently
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_38'>38</span>vituperate the poor unoffending little
+bunch of feathers with its staring yellow eyes. The
+camera is then focused on the scolding perch and
+the photographer retires into the undergrowth, and,
+bulb in hand, waits for some bird to take the desired
+stand.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>A Catbird’s domain is chosen for the reason that
+this species is the alarmist of whatever neighborhood
+it may inhabit, and once its attention has been
+attracted to the Owl by “squeaking” or uttering
+the alarm notes of other birds, the photographer
+may subside and let the Catbird do the rest.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The bird’s rage is remarkable, its fear painful.
+Should the Owl be near to the Catbird’s nest it will
+utter notes in a tone of voice I have never heard
+it use on other occasions. It loses all fear of the
+camera, and from the scolding perch screams at the
+Owl with a vehemence which threatens to crack its
+throat. One is glad to remove the offending cause.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Other birds in the vicinity are of course attracted,
+and hasten to learn the meaning of the
+uproar. Often a bit of undergrowth, of which the
+Catbird was apparently the only feathered tenant,
+will be found to possess a large bird population. It
+is interesting to observe the difference in the actions
+of various birds as they learn the reason of the disturbance.
+On the whole, each species displays its
+characteristic disposition in a somewhat accentuated
+manner. The Blue-winged Warblers flit to and fro
+for a few moments and then are gone; the Chestnut-sided
+Warbler is quite anxious; the Maryland Yellow-throat
+somewhat annoyed; the Ovenbird decidedly
+concerned; the Towhee bustles about, but
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_39'>39</span>seems to pay no especial attention to the Owl; the
+Wood Thrush utters its sharp <em>pit-pit</em>, but is content
+to let well enough alone if its own nest be not
+threatened; and the Yellow-throated, Red-eyed, and
+White-eyed Vireos, particularly the latter, add their
+complaining notes to the chorus of protests. Not
+one, however, approaches the Catbird in the force
+of its remarks, nor does the bird cease to outcry so
+long as the Owl is visible.</p>
+
+<p class='c007'>It is felt that in the foregoing suggestions the
+methods which may be employed by the bird photographer
+are very inadequately described, but, as
+was remarked in the preface of this volume, the constantly
+varying circumstances attending his work
+practically prohibit duplication of experience.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>In truth, herein lies the great charm of animal
+photography. We have not to follow certain formulæ,
+but each subject presents its own individual
+requirements, making the demands on the naturalist’s
+skill and patience limitless and success proportionately
+valuable.</p>
+
+<div class='chapter'>
+  <span class='pageno' id='Page_40'>40</span>
+  <h2 class='c006'>BIRD STUDIES WITH A CAMERA</h2>
+</div>
+<h3 class='c013'>BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY BEGINS AT HOME</h3>
+
+<div class='c014'>
+  <img class='drop-capi' src='images/di_040.jpg' width='100' alt=''>
+</div><p class='drop-capi_8'>
+The influence exerted by the camera
+in creating new values for the
+bird student is perhaps nowhere
+more evident than in the immediate
+vicinity of one’s home.
+Even the view from our windows
+possesses fresh significance as we
+speculate on the probability of securing a desirable
+picture from this or that point of vantage, while
+birds to which long familiarity has partially
+dimmed our vision now become possible subjects
+for our camera, and we find ourselves observing
+their movements with an alertness before unknown.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>In my own case, I have learned almost to tolerate
+the House Sparrows, with which I have been at war
+as long as memory serves me, for the pleasure found
+in attempting to outwit these shrewd, independent,
+impudent rats among birds; and, on closer acquaintance,
+they prove such interesting subjects for study
+that, if their vocal ability equaled their intelligence,
+they might be as generally liked as they are hated.
+So much for the magic of a sweet voice. As it is,
+they possess a greater variety of notes than they are
+generally credited with, and their conversational
+powers undoubtedly exceed those of many accomplished
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_41'>41</span>singers. In addition to the insistent, reiterated
+<em>chissick, chissick</em>, which constitutes the song of
+the male, one soon learns to recognize calls of warning,
+alarm, flight, battle, and the soft whistle which
+the bird utters when it approaches its nest—the only
+musical note in its vocabulary.</p>
+
+<div id='i_020'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_020.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>20. House Sparrows and Junco.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>Quick to notice the slightest deviation from normal
+conditions, House Sparrows are difficult birds
+to photograph. They seem to be constantly on the
+watch for some sign of danger, and an unusual arrangement
+of blind or shade at once arouses their
+suspicions. After a heavy fall of snow, however,
+hunger dulls the edge of their fears, and by scattering
+food near a suitable window the birds may be
+decoyed within photographing distance.<sup><a href='#i_020'>20</a></sup> It will be
+found necessary, even then, to conceal the camera,
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_42'>42</span>which they evidently distinguish from familiar
+pieces of furniture and regard with alarm.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>This, too, is the best time to secure pictures of
+Juncos,<sup><a href='#i_021'>21</a></sup> Chickadees, Nuthatches, Downy Woodpeckers,
+Blue Jays, and less common winter birds. The
+four last named are rarely or never seen about my
+home in winter. Doubtless the abundant and surrounding
+woodlands afford them a more congenial
+haunt, from which they are not to be enticed by suet,
+bones, or grain; or, more likely still, the custom of
+putting out food for birds is so unusual in the region
+about New York city that they have not yet learned
+to expect it. It is a most pleasing surprise to the
+resident of this section to observe the numbers and
+familiarity of winter birds in the environs of Boston,
+where a feast seems spread for them in nearly every
+dooryard.</p>
+
+<div id='i_021'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_021.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>21. Junco. × 3.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<div id='i_022'  class='figright id004'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_43'>43</span>
+<img src='images/i_022.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>22. Female House Sparrow and nest. × 3.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>To return to the Sparrow. The bird’s nest also
+provides a focal point for the camera, but, as elsewhere,
+the greatest
+precautions must be
+taken, and I have
+succeeded in securing
+a picture only
+when some advantageously
+situated
+window afforded a
+natural blind. One
+of the pictures thus
+obtained shows a
+nest in the ornamental
+part of a
+gutter, with the female
+looking from
+an adjoining opening.<sup><a href='#i_022'>22</a></sup>
+This gutter
+seems especially designed
+to furnish
+lodgings for Sparrows,
+and no argument
+that I have
+thus far advanced has convinced them that it was
+not erected for their use. During the early part
+of their occupancy, a rap on their roof promptly
+brought them out to perch in the branches of the
+neighboring trees, where their chattering protest was
+soon interrupted by a gunshot; but the survivors
+quickly learned the meaning of the roof tap, and now,
+without a moment’s pause, they dive downward from
+their doorway and fly out of range at topmost speed.</p>
+
+<div id='i_023'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_44'>44</span>
+<img src='images/i_023.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>23. Screech Owl. × 3.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>More welcome tenants than the House Sparrows
+are a pair of Screech Owls, who for years have
+reared their broods in a dovecotelike gable, where
+they are beyond the reach of nest robbers of all
+kinds. During the winter they apparently are absent,
+nor indeed are they seen until June, when, each
+evening at sundown, one of the pair, probably the
+male, takes his post at the entrance to its home and
+gives utterance to the crooning refrain which sometimes
+follows the so-called tremulous “screech.”
+But the latter I never hear at this season. In spite
+of the poor light prevailing at this hour, the bird’s
+stillness has tempted repeated trials to secure its
+picture, and the most successful, made with a fourteen-inch
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_45'>45</span>lens and an exposure of fifteen seconds, is
+here shown.<sup><a href='#i_023'>23</a></sup> Telephotos have thus far been underexposed.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>As a means of making the exposure as soon as
+possible after the Owl appeared, I have on a number
+of occasions placed my camera in position, focused
+and otherwise made ready some minutes
+before he was expected, and I recall with amusement
+the incredulity of a friend whose surprise at seeing
+me point my camera skyward without ostensible
+purpose was in no way lessened when I told him
+that I had an appointment with an Owl, who was to
+take his stand shortly in the hole toward which the
+camera was directed; and fortunately the bird was
+on time!</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>From the perch, some forty feet aloft, the grave
+little creature surveys the scene below with an expression
+of combined wisdom and thoughtfulness
+which makes a laugh seem wanton foolishness. At
+the border of dusk and dark he flies out to feed,
+often descending to the ground and remaining there
+for some moments while catching insects. Occasionally
+he takes his prey from the tree trunks, perhaps
+a cicada struggling from its shell, and on several
+occasions I have thought he captured food on
+the wing. Sometimes the supper hunt leads him to
+the edge of the croquet lawn, where from the earth
+or the back of a garden bench he becomes an interested
+spectator of the last game. When the young
+appear, later in the month, the evergreens seem alive
+with Owls, who flit about and utter querulous little
+calls difficult of description. Toward the end of
+July, doubtless after the molt is completed, presumably
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_46'>46</span>the adults—for never more than two are heard—begin
+to sing; and this habit of post-nuptial singing
+seems not to be confined to the Screech Owl, for
+about this time the deep-toned, resounding notes of
+the Barred Owl come up from the woods. Throughout
+August and September the wailing whistle,
+which is ever welcome for its spirit of wildness, is
+heard nightly, and as the plaintive notes tremble on
+the hushed air we invariably say, “Hark, there’s
+the Owl!”</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>My experience as bird photographer about home,
+I must admit, has consisted chiefly in a series of encouraging
+failures which have borne no tangible
+results. Let us hope, however, that the few pictures
+here presented will prove as suggestive to the reader
+as they are to their maker, who, although he offers
+such inadequate proof in support of his belief, is far
+too well convinced of the possibilities of home photography
+to go afield without saying at least a word
+in its behalf.</p>
+
+<div class='chapter'>
+  <span class='pageno' id='Page_47'>47</span>
+  <h2 class='c006'>THE CHICKADEE<br> <span class='large'><em>A Study in Black and White</em></span></h2>
+</div>
+
+<div class='c007'>
+  <img class='drop-capi' src='images/di_047.jpg' width='100' alt=''>
+</div><p class='drop-capi_8'>
+Very early in my experience as a
+hunter I became acquainted with a
+small black-and-white bird, who
+not only announced himself with
+unmistakable distinctness, but did
+so at such close range that one
+could form a very clear idea of his
+appearance; and thus because of his notes and trustfulness
+I learned to know the Chickadee by name
+years before I was aware that the woods were
+tenanted by dozens of other more common but less
+fearless birds.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>With regret for the universality of the instinct,
+I found that to see was to desire. I had felt exactly
+the same longing in regard to other birds, and had
+thrown many a stone in a fruitless effort to get possession
+of the half-mysterious wild creatures which
+always eluded me; but the Chickadee came within
+range of my bean-shooter and soon paid the penalty
+of misplaced confidence. The little ball of flesh and
+fluffy feathers was perfectly useless, so after a day
+or two, the length of time depending on the temperature,
+it was thrown away.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>My curiosity concerning the Chickadee being
+satisfied, and the bird’s tameness making it too easy
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_48'>48</span>a mark even for a bean-shooter, I entered on a new
+phase of Chickadee relations. Strangely enough,
+the killing of the bird seemed, from my point of
+view, to constitute an introduction to a creature
+which before I had known only imperfectly, and
+my acquaintance with the Chickadee may be said
+to have begun when I picked up the first bird that
+fell before my aim. However the Chickadee may
+have regarded my somewhat questionable manner
+of gaining his friendship, he has since given unmistakable
+evidences of his approval of my treatment
+of his kind. He always replies to my greeting, often
+coming many yards in answer to my call, and on a
+number of occasions he has honored me above most
+men by alighting on my hand.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>When, in more recent years, the gun which succeeded
+the bean-shooter was in turn replaced by a
+camera, I found that the Chickadee’s tameness made
+him a mark for my later as he had been for my
+earlier efforts in bird hunting. Now, however, I
+believe I may speak for him as well as for myself,
+and say that the results obtained are more satisfactory
+to us both. It was in Central Park, New York
+city, in February, 1899, that I went on one of my
+first Chickadee hunts with a camera. Incidentally
+the locality gave emphasis to the advantages of the
+camera over any other weapon. Imagine the surprise
+of the park police had I ventured on their precincts
+with a gun on my shoulder! But with a camera
+I could snap away at pleasure without any one’s
+being the wiser—many of my “snaps,” I confess
+being attended by exactly this result. At this time,
+through the efforts of an enthusiastic and patient
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_49'>49</span>bird lover, who had improved on the bird-catching
+legend by using nuts instead of “salt” and by substituting
+bill for “tail,” three Chickadees in the
+Ramble had become so remarkably tame that they
+would often flutter before one’s face and plainly
+give expression to their desire for food, which they
+took from one’s hand without the slightest evidence
+of fear. Sometimes they even remained to pick the
+nut from a shell while perched on one’s finger, anon
+casting questioning glances at their host; but more
+often they preferred a perch where they could give
+their entire attention to the nut which was held
+between their feet, and pecked at after the manner
+of Blue Jays.</p>
+
+<div id='i_024'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_024.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>24. Chickadee on ground.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>In spite of the ease with which one could approach
+these Chickadees, they made difficult marks
+for the camera. I was armed with a “Henry Clay”
+5 × 7 and a twin-lens camera of the same size, but
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_50'>50</span>so active were the little creatures that not one of
+many exposures proved to be perfectly focused.
+Finally I tried decoying the birds to a bone or bit
+of bread in the bushes, but somehow they did not
+succeed in discovering these baits until they were
+placed on the ground.<sup><a href='#i_024'>24</a>, <a href='#i_025'>25</a></sup> Then they responded so
+quickly that often the bread had disappeared while
+my head was concealed by the dark-cloth, and frequently,
+while focusing, the birds would alight on
+the tripod of the camera. I was forced, therefore,
+to focus on a stone, and, when ready to make
+the exposure, lay a bit of bread on or near the
+focal point, the two pictures given being thus obtained.</p>
+
+<div id='i_025'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_025.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>25. Chickadee taking piece of bread.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>Various experiences with these unusually tame
+birds finally led to what at first thought would have
+been considered the wholly unreasonable ambition
+of photographing one of them in my hand. The
+camera was therefore erected at a suitable point and
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_51'>51</span>focused on the trunk of a tree, the shutter set, and
+slide drawn.</p>
+
+<div id='i_026'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_026.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>26. A bird in the hand.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>Now to get the bird. None was in the immediate
+vicinity, but a whistle soon brought a response
+from some neighboring tree tops, and going beneath
+them I shortly had called the bird down to a nut in
+my palm, and with him on my finger started to walk
+the eighty or more feet to the camera. This, however,
+was asking too much, and the bird abandoned
+his moving perch for a bordering row of evergreens,
+from which one or two more trials brought him
+within a short distance of the desired spot, and resting
+my arm against the tree trunk and with the
+other hand on the trigger of the shutter I called
+again the two plaintive notes. The bird’s faith was
+still strong. Almost immediately he took the desired
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_52'>52</span>position, when a <em>click</em> announced the realization
+of a bird photographer’s wildest dream.</p>
+
+<p class='c007'>Fortunate is the bird photographer who discovers
+an advantageously situated Chickadee’s nest.
+Dr. Robert’s charming description in Bird-Lore of
+his experience with a family of Chickadees stimulated
+my desire to make a camera study of this species.
+The first nest found, however, was claimed by
+a band of roving boys, who in pure wantonness
+pushed down the stub from which a few days later
+the young would have issued.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>A second time I was more fortunate. It was on
+the morning of May 29, 1899, at Englewood, N. J.,
+that in going through a young second growth I
+chanced to see a Chickadee, who in arranging her
+much-worn plumage gave unmistakable evidence of
+having recently left her nest. At once I looked
+about for a partly decayed white birch, a tree especially
+suited to the Chickadee’s powers and needs.
+The bark remains tough and leathery long after the
+interior is crumbling, and having penetrated the
+outer shell the Chickadee finds no difficulty in excavating
+a chamber within.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>A few moments’ search revealed a stub so typical
+as to match exactly the image I held in my mind’s
+eye, with an opening about four feet from the
+ground. The interior was too gloomy to enable one
+to determine its contents, but, returning in half an
+hour, I tapped the stub lightly, when, as though I
+had released the spring of a Jack-in-a-box, a Chickadee
+popped out of the opening and into a neighboring
+tree. I wished her good morning, assured her that
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_53'>53</span>my intentions were of the best, and promised to
+return and secure her portrait at the first opportunity.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Four days later I set up my camera before the
+door to the Chickadee’s dwelling, and, without attempting
+to conceal it, attached thread to the shutter
+and retreated in the undergrowth to a distance of
+about twenty-five feet.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>After having had most discouraging experiences
+with several birds, who had evidently regarded the
+camera as a monster of destruction, and had refused
+to return to their nests as long as the evil eye of the
+lens was on them, it was consoling to find a bird
+who had some degree of confidence in human nature
+as represented by photographic apparatus.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>It is true that the female—and throughout this
+description I assume that the bird with much-worn
+plumage was of this sex—promptly left the stub at
+my approach; but when I retired to the undergrowth
+there was no tiresome wait of hours while the bird,
+flitting from bush to bush, chirped suspiciously, but
+almost immediately she returned to her home.<sup><a href='#i_027'>27</a></sup> The
+camera was examined, but clearly not considered
+dangerous, its tripod sometimes serving as a step to
+the nest entrance. The click of the shutter, however,
+when an exposure was made as the bird was
+about to enter its dwelling, caused some alarm, and
+she flew back to a neighboring tree, and for some
+time hopped restlessly from limb to limb.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The male, who had previously kept in the background,
+now approached, and, as if to soothe his
+troubled mate, thoughtfully gave her a caterpillar.
+She welcomed him with a gentle, tremulous fluttering
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_54'>54</span>of the wings—a motion similar to that made by
+young birds when begging for food. He, however,
+made what appeared to be precisely the same movements
+when she perched beside him.</p>
+
+<div id='i_027'  class='figleft id004'>
+<img src='images/i_027.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>27. Chickadee at nest hole.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>It was not long
+before the female became
+so accustomed
+to the snap of the
+shutter that in order
+to prevent her from
+entering the nest I
+was forced to rush
+out from my hiding
+place; but at last,
+apparently becoming
+desperate, she succeeded
+in returning
+to her eggs in spite
+of my best efforts to
+prevent her.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>There now ensued
+a very interesting
+change in the bird’s
+action. It will be
+remembered that at
+first she had left the
+nest on hearing me
+approach, while a
+light tap brought her through the opening with
+startling promptness. But now, evidently realizing
+that a return to her duties of incubation could
+be made only at great risk, she determined under no
+conditions to leave her eggs. In vain I rapped at
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_55'>55</span>her door and shook her dwelling to its foundations;
+no bird appeared, and not believing it possible that
+under the circumstances she would remain within
+the stub, I felt that she must have left without my
+knowledge, and therefore
+retired to await
+her reappearance.</p>
+
+<div id='i_028'  class='figright id004'>
+<img src='images/i_028.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>28. Chickadee at nest hole.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>At the end of several
+minutes the male,
+with food in his bill,
+advanced cautiously,
+and clinging to the
+rim of the nest opening,
+hung there a moment
+and departed
+minus the food. This
+was surprising. Could
+there be young in the
+nest? or was the bird,
+in imitation of the
+Hornbill, feeding his
+imprisoned mate? I
+rapped again, and this
+time, perhaps taken
+unawares, the female
+answered my question
+by appearing.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>On June 3d a family arrived in the Chickadee
+villa, and both birds were found actively engaged in
+administering to its wants.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>As a return for the inconvenience to which they
+had been subjected, a perch was erected by way of a
+step at their door. The female was appreciative and
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_56'>56</span>at once availed herself of this means of entering her
+home.<sup><a href='#i_028'>28</a></sup> The male, however, as before, was more
+wary. He had braved the camera to bring food to
+his mate, but his offspring had apparently not so
+strong a claim upon him. He would fly off in search
+of food and shortly return with a caterpillar, then
+perch quietly for several minutes a few yards from
+the nest, when, repelled by the camera and attracted
+by the food in his bill, he yielded to temptation, devoured
+the caterpillar, vigorously wiped his bill, at
+once started to forage for more food, and returned
+with it only to repeat his previous performance.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Occasionally he uttered a low whistle, addressed
+presumably to the female, and at times a <em>chickadee-dee-dee</em>,
+which I interpreted as a protest to me, and
+both notes were also uttered by the female.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The latter took so kindly to the doorstep that it
+was determined to give her a door, and to this end a
+leaf was pinned over the entrance to her home in
+such a manner that it swung to and fro, like the
+latch to a keyhole. This clearly did not meet with
+her approval, and at first she seemed puzzled to account
+for the apparent disappearance of the nest
+opening. But in less than a minute she solved the
+mystery, pushed the leaf to one side, and disappeared
+within.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Returning to the nest on June 12th, nothing was
+to be seen of either parent, and I feared that they or
+their offspring had fallen victims to the countless
+dangers which beset nesting birds and their young.
+Looking about for some clew to their fate, I found
+on the ground, near the nest stub, the worn tail-feathers
+of the female bird. The molting season had not
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_57'>57</span>yet arrived, nor would she have shed all these feathers
+at the same moment. There could therefore be
+only one interpretation of their presence. Some foe—probably
+a Sharp-shinned or Cooper’s Hawk, since
+the predaceous mammals for the most part hunt at
+night, when the Chickadee would be snugly sleeping
+in her nest—had made a dash and grasped her
+by the tail, which she had sacrificed in escaping. A
+moment later the theory was supported by the appearance
+of a subdued-looking Chickadee, <em>sans</em> tail,
+and I congratulated her on her fortunate exchange
+of life for a member which of late had not been very
+decorative, and of which, in any event, Nature would
+have soon deprived her.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The young proved to be nearly ready to fly, and,
+carefully removing the front of their log cabin, a
+sight was disclosed such as mortal probably never
+beheld before and Chickadee but rarely.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Six black-and-white heads were raised and six
+yellow-lined mouths opened in expressive appeal for
+food. But this was not all; there was another layer
+of Chickadees below—how many it was impossible
+to say without disentangling a wad of birds so compact
+that the outlines of no one bird could be distinguished.
+A piazza, as it were, was built at the
+Chickadees’ threshold in the shape of a perch of
+proper size, and beneath, as a life net, was spread a
+piece of mosquito bar. Then I proceeded to individualize
+the ball of feathers; one, two, three, to
+seven were counted without undue surprise, but
+when an eighth and ninth were added, I marveled
+at the energy which had supplied so many mouths
+with food, and at the same time wondered how many
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_58'>58</span>caterpillars had been devoured by this one family of
+birds.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Not less remarkable than the number of young—and
+no book that I have consulted records so large
+a brood—was their condition. Not only did they all
+appear lusty, but they seemed to be about equally
+developed, the slight difference in strength and size
+which existed being easily attributable to a difference
+in age, some interval doubtless having elapsed
+between the hatching of the first and last egg.</p>
+
+<div id='i_029'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_029.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>29. A Chickadee family.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>This fact would have been of interest had the
+birds inhabited an open nest, or a nest large enough
+for them all to have had an equal opportunity to
+receive food; but where only two thirds of their
+number could be seen from above at once, and where
+a very little neglect would have resulted fatally, it
+seems remarkable that one or more, failing to receive
+his share of food, had not been weakened in consequence
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_59'>59</span>and crushed to death by more fortunate
+members of the brood. Nor was their physical condition
+the only surprising thing about the members
+of this Chickadee family: each individual was as
+clean as though he had been reared in a nest alone,
+and an examination of the nest showed that it would
+have been passed as perfect by the most scrupulous
+sanitary inspector. It was composed of firmly padded
+rabbit’s fur, and, except for the sheaths worn
+off the growing feathers of the young birds, was
+absolutely clean. Later, I observed that the excreta
+of the young were inclosed in membranous sacs,
+which enabled the parents to readily remove them
+from the nest.</p>
+
+<div id='i_030'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_030.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>30. A Chickadee family.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>The last bird having been placed in the net, I attempted
+to pose them in a row on the perch before
+their door. The task reminded me of almost forgotten
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_60'>60</span>efforts at building card houses, which, when
+nearly completed, would be brought to ruin by an
+ill-placed card. How many times each Chickadee
+tumbled or fluttered from his perch I can not say.
+The soft, elastic net, spread beneath them, preserved
+them from injury, and bird after bird was returned
+to his place so little worse for his fall that he was
+quite ready to try it again. Finally, eight birds
+were induced to take the positions assigned them;
+then, in assisting the ninth to his allotted place, the
+balance of a bird on either side would be disturbed,
+and down into the net they would go.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>These difficulties, however, could be overcome,
+but not so the failure of the light at the critical time,
+making it necessary to expose with a wide open lens
+at the loss of a depth of focus.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The picture presented, therefore, does not do the
+subject justice. Nor can it tell of the pleasure with
+which each fledgeling  for the first time stretched its
+wings and legs to their full extent, and preened its
+plumage with before unknown freedom.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>At the same time they uttered a satisfied little
+<em>dee-dee-dee</em>, in quaint imitation of their elders.
+When I whistled their well-known <em>phe-be</em> note, they
+were at once on the alert, and evidently expected to
+be fed.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The birds were within two or three days of leaving
+the nest, and, the sitting over, the problem came
+of returning the flock to a cavity barely two inches
+in diameter, the bottom of which was almost filled
+by one bird.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>I at once confess a failure to restore anything
+like the condition in which they were found, and
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_61'>61</span>when the front of their dwelling was replaced,
+Chickadees were overflowing at the door. If their
+healthfulness had not belied the thought, I should
+have supposed it impossible for them to exist in such
+close quarters.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>A few days later their home was deserted, and,
+as no other Chickadees were known to nest in the
+vicinity, I imagine them to compose a troop of birds
+which is sometimes found in the neighborhood.</p>
+
+<div class='chapter'>
+  <span class='pageno' id='Page_62'>62</span>
+  <h2 class='c006'>THE LEAST BITTERN AND SOME OTHER REED INHABITANTS</h2>
+</div>
+
+<div class='c007'>
+  <img class='drop-capi' src='images/di_062.jpg' width='100' alt=''>
+</div><p class='drop-capi_8'>
+My experience with the Least Bittern
+leaves the eerie little creature a
+half-solved mystery, and I think of
+it less as a bird than as a survivor
+of a former geological period, when
+birds still showed traits of their
+not distant reptilian ancestors.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The Bittern’s home is in fresh-water, cat-tail
+marshes, and he wanders at will through the thickly
+set forest of reeds without of necessity putting foot
+to the water below or flapping wing in the air above.
+His peculiar mode of progression constitutes one of
+his chief characteristics. The reeds in which he
+lives generally grow in several feet of water, far too
+deep, therefore, to permit of his wading; while his
+secretive disposition makes him averse to appearing
+in the open, except after nightfall. It is impossible
+to fly through the cat-tails, and so the bird walks
+and even runs through them, stepping from stem to
+stem with surprising agility. I had heard of this
+habit, but the description conveyed as little idea of
+the bird’s appearance as it is feared this one will,
+and when for the first time a Least Bittern was seen
+striding off through the reeds about three feet above
+the water, the performance was so entirely unlike
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_63'>63</span>anything I had ever seen a bird do before, I marveled
+that his acrobatic powers had not made him
+famous.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The feathered gymnast’s slender body—or perhaps
+one should say neck, for the bird is chiefly
+neck and head—seemed to be mounted on long stilts,
+with the aid of which he waded rapidly through the
+water, his head shooting in and out at each stride.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The Least Bittern’s notes appear to be less known
+than his habits. Nuttall, that exceptionally keen-eared
+bird student, was familiar with them, but
+most writers have restricted themselves to the statement
+that, when flushed, the bird utters a low <em>qua</em>,
+while some have even said he was voiceless.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>I should not be in the least surprised to learn that
+this uncanny inhabitant of the reeds had a call fully
+as remarkable as the vocal performance of his large
+relative, the American Bittern, but thus far in my
+slight acquaintance with him he has been heard
+to utter only four notes: A soft, low <em>coo</em>, slowly
+repeated five or six times, and which is probably
+the love song of the male; an explosive alarm
+note, <em>quoh</em>; a hissing <em>hah</em>, with which the bird
+threatens a disturber of its nest; and a low <em>tut-tut-tut</em>,
+apparently a protest against the same kind of
+intrusion.</p>
+
+<div id='i_031'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_64'>64</span>
+<img src='images/i_031.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>31. Least Bittern’s nesting site, showing reeds bent over nest. One of four eggs can be seen.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>It was the markedly dovelike <em>coo</em> which first introduced
+me to this species. With William Brewster
+I was at the Fresh Pond marshes, listening for
+the repetition of some strange calls which had excited
+the curiosity of Cambridge ornithologists, and
+which proved to belong to a Florida Gallinule,<a id='rB'></a><a href='#fB' class='c015'><sup>[B]</sup></a>
+when we heard the soft notes of a Least Bittern,
+who soon rose from the marsh near by. A few days
+later the Bittern was found in full song—if the <em>coo</em>
+be its song—in the marshes of Presque Isle in Erie
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_65'>65</span>Bay; but it must be confessed that a desire to secure
+specimens of this, to me, strange bird left no opportunity
+to study its habits, and the species was not
+again observed until June, 1898, in the northern
+part of Cayuga County, New York. Here, under
+the guidance of an observing local ornithologist,
+Mr. E. G. Tabor, an encounter was had with a Least
+Bittern which made a unique page in my experience
+as a bird student.</p>
+
+<div class='footnote' id='fB'>
+<p class='c008'><a href='#rB'>B</a>. See Brewster, Auk, vol. viii, 1891, p. 1.</p>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>It was on the border of Otter Lake, where the
+Least Bitterns nest in small numbers in low bushes,
+or a mass of drift, or more often in the fringe of cat-tails.
+The trail of a boat through the reeds and
+empty nests, which before had held from three to
+five eggs, marked the ill-directed work of the boy
+oölogists whose misspent zeal has resulted in such
+a vast accumulation of eggshells and such an absence
+of information about the birds that laid them.
+A visit to a more distant part of the lake, where
+even thus early in the year the cat-tails were five
+feet above water of over half that depth, saved the
+day, as far as Least Bitterns were concerned. Paddling
+close to the reeds, a practiced eye could distinguish
+the site of a Bittern’s nest, when the nest
+itself was invisible, by the bowed tips of the reeds
+which the bird invariably bends over it.<sup><a href='#i_031'>31</a></sup> The object
+of this habit is perhaps to aid in concealing the eggs
+from an enemy passing overhead—a Crow, for example—an
+attack by boat evidently not being taken
+into consideration.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Certainly our appearance was in the nature
+of a surprise to a pair of birds who had just
+completed their platformlike nest and were apparently
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_66'>66</span>discussing future steps in their domestic
+affairs.</p>
+
+<div id='i_032'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<img src='images/i_032.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>32. Least Bittern’s nest; reeds parted to show eggs.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>As we approached, the female, who even before
+the eggs are laid seems to have the home love more
+strongly developed than the male, bravely stuck to
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_67'>67</span>her post, while the male marched off through the
+reeds in the manner which has been described as so
+remarkable. When he paused, with either foot
+grasping reeds several inches apart or clung to a
+single stalk with
+both feet, he resembled
+a gigantic,
+tailless Marsh
+Wren.</p>
+
+<div id='i_033'  class='figright id004'>
+<img src='images/i_033.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>33. Least Bittern on nest mimicking its surroundings.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>The actions of
+the female were interesting
+in the
+extreme. Her first
+move was an attempt
+at concealment
+through protective
+mimicry—a
+rare device among
+birds. Stretching
+her neck to the
+utmost, she pointed
+her bill to the zenith,
+the brownish
+marks on the feathers
+of the throat became
+lines which,
+separated by the
+white spaces between
+them, might easily have passed for dried
+reeds, and the bird’s statuelike pose, when almost
+within reach, evinced her belief in her own invisibility.<sup><a href='#i_033'>33</a>, <a href='#i_034'>34</a></sup></p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The pose recalled Hudson’s experience with a
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_68'>68</span>wounded Least Bittern (<em>Ardetta involucris</em>, a near
+relative of our bird) in the marshes of La Plata,
+where a bird at his feet, in the same position as the
+one before me, was discovered only after careful
+search, and which, to the naturalist’s amazement,
+slowly revolved as he walked around it, with the
+presumable object
+of keeping its protectively
+colored
+breast turned
+toward him.</p>
+
+<div id='i_034'  class='figleft id004'>
+<img src='images/i_034.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>34. Least Bittern on nest mimicking its surroundings.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>My bird, however,
+was among
+fresh reeds, and
+while one can not
+doubt the effectiveness
+of its attitude
+and color,
+when seen among
+dead reeds or
+grasses, neither
+were of value
+among its green
+surroundings.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>With the light
+on the wrong side and the reeds swaying violently
+in the wind, we essayed to picture the bird, and the
+best of several attempts made under these adverse
+conditions are here given.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Covering my hand with my cap I held it toward
+her, when, convinced that her little trick had failed,
+she adopted new tactics, and struck at me with force
+and rapidity, which made me thankful that my hand
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_69'>69</span>was protected. Her bright yellow eyes glared with
+the intensity of a snake’s, and her reptilelike appearance
+was increased by the length and slenderness of
+her head and neck. Her courage was admirable;
+she not only displayed no fear, but was actually
+aggressive, and with a hissing <em>hah</em> struck viciously
+at my hand each time it was placed near the nest.
+As I quickly retreated on each occasion, and at
+length made no further move toward her, she decided
+to withdraw, perhaps to join her cautious mate,
+who from the reeds had been uttering a warning <em>tut-tut-tut</em>
+at intervals. Very slowly and watchfully she
+left the nest, and when she had advanced a few feet
+through the reeds I again ventured to touch her
+platform home, putting my hand, however, under
+it; but the motion instantly attracted her attention,
+and, darting back to her post, she was on guard in a
+moment. Then I left her, retiring from the field
+fairly vanquished in my first hand-to-bill encounter
+with a wild bird. I hope she laid a full complement
+of five eggs and from them reared five birds worthy
+representatives of their mother.</p>
+
+<p class='c007'>A desire to renew my acquaintance with—or perhaps
+I should say advances toward—this unbirdlike
+feathered biped, and to meet it under conditions
+more favorable for the camera hunter, brought me
+the following year (June 17, 1899), to the Montezuma
+marshes at the head of Cayuga Lake. Here are
+endless forests of cat-tails in which dwell not only
+Bitterns, Long-billed Marsh Wrens, and Red-winged
+Blackbirds, but also numbers of Pied-billed Grebes
+and Florida Gallinules.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_70'>70</span>There is a mystery about a marsh akin to that
+which impresses one in a primeval forest. The possibilities
+of both seem limitless. One hears so much
+and sees so little. Birds calling from a distance of
+only a few yards may remain long unidentified. A
+rustling in the reeds arouses vague expectations.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The notes of marsh-inhabiting birds are in keeping
+with the character of their haunts. They are
+distinctly wild and strange, and often thrilling. The
+Rails, for example, all have singular, loud, startling
+calls. The American Bittern is a famous marsh
+songster, but although several of his common names
+are based on his calls, it is only recently that he has
+actually been seen uttering them. The Gallinule resembles
+the hen in the character, volume, and variety
+of its notes, and to it and not the Clapper Rail
+should be given the name “Marsh Hen.” Indeed,
+its European relative, from which it can scarcely
+be distinguished, is known as the Moor Hen or
+Water Hen.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>But of all this marsh music none to my ear is
+more singular than the call of the Pied-billed
+Grebe. It is mentioned in few books, and has won
+the bird no such fame as the Loon’s maniacal laughter
+has brought him, though as a vocalist the Grebe
+fairly rivals his large cousin. Like most bird calls
+it is indescribable, but perhaps sufficient idea of its
+character may be given to lead to its identification
+when heard. It is very loud and sonorous, with a
+cuckoolike quality, and may be written <em>cow-cow-cow-cow-cow-cow-cow-cow-cow-uh,
+cow-uh, cow-uh,
+cow-uh</em>. These notes vary in number, and are sometimes
+followed by prolonged wailing <em>cows</em> or <em>ohs</em>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_71'>71</span>almost human in their expressiveness of pain, fear,
+and anguish.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>This is the love song of the male, and when he
+has won a mate she joins him in singing, uttering,
+as he calls, a rapid <em>cuk-cuk-cuk</em>, followed by a slower
+<em>ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh</em>.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The Gallinules were cackling in the reeds, where
+a nest with three hatching eggs was found, but not a
+bird was seen. Red-winged Blackbirds were chattering
+with excitement as they guided the first wing
+strokes of their young, who perched on the reeds
+begged eloquently for food rather than for lessons
+in flying.<sup><a href='#i_035'>35</a></sup></p>
+
+<div id='i_035'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_035.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>35. Young Red-winged Blackbirds.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>In a small island of cat-tails a pair of Grebes was
+calling, and after the most careful stalking my companion
+saw the female respond to the voice of her
+mate.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_72'>72</span>It was in this island—if a patch of cat-tails growing
+in three feet of water can be called an island—that
+we found the first two of numerous Least Bitterns’
+nests, and here our camera studies were made.
+These nests were typical in form and site; one contained
+five and the other four<sup><a href='#i_032'>32</a></sup> eggs, from which
+the birds had apparently departed as we pushed our
+boat toward them.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Less than twenty minutes later we again passed
+these nests and found, to our surprise, that in one
+all four, and in the other two eggs had been punctured,
+as if by an awl. Here was a mystery which
+my companion, who was examining the second nest
+while I was studying the first, quickly solved by
+seeing a Long-billed Marsh Wren actually make an
+attack on the remaining three eggs, and a little
+later a bird of the same species—perhaps the same
+individual, since the Bitterns’ nests were not more
+than twenty yards apart—visited the first nest
+to complete its work on the five already ruined
+eggs.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Our attempt to photograph the energetic little
+marauder failed, nor did we succeed in learning the
+real cause of its remarkable destructiveness. However,
+the fact that in one nest alone it drove its
+needlelike bill into all five eggs without pausing to
+feast on their contents, would imply that it was not
+prompted by hunger, and, much against our will, we
+were forced to attribute the bird’s actions to pure
+viciousness; though, it is true, there may have been
+another side to the story, in which the Bittern was
+the culprit.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The owners of the four eggs did not return while
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_73'>73</span>we were present, and the following day we found
+their nest empty—a mute protest against fate.</p>
+
+<div id='i_036'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<img src='images/i_036.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>36. Least Bittern eating her eggs.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>The female of the second nest discovered, in which
+only two of the five eggs had been injured, proved to
+be a bird of character.</p>
+
+<div id='i_037'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_74'>74</span>
+<img src='images/i_037.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>37. Least Bittern on nest.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>While we waited in our boats at a distance of
+fifteen feet, and with cameras erected on tripods
+at a third of the distance, she came walking through
+the reeds uttering occasionally an explosive <em>quoh!</em>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_75'>75</span>After circling about us several times she climbed
+to her nest, and at once proceeded to investigate the
+condition of its contents. Soon she gave evidence of
+the possession of both a philosophic and economic
+disposition, not to mention other housewifely qualities,
+notably cleanliness. Philosophy she exhibited
+by making the best of things as she found them;
+economy by carefully eating<sup><a href='#i_036'>36</a></sup> the two broken eggs,
+which a more thoughtless bird would have deserted
+or quickly discarded; and cleanliness by carefully
+dropping over the edge of the nest the shells remaining
+from her peculiar feast, and following them by
+bits of nest lining which had been soiled by portions
+of the egg. This task accomplished to her satisfaction,
+she gave further evidence of the possession of
+a well-ordered mind by descending to the water,
+washing her bill, drinking, and then returning to
+her remaining three eggs, on which she settled
+herself<sup><a href='#i_037'>37</a></sup> as complacently as though she had met
+with no loss, and there we left her in well-deserved
+privacy.</p>
+
+<div class='chapter'>
+  <span class='pageno' id='Page_76'>76</span>
+  <h2 class='c006'>TWO HERONS</h2>
+</div>
+
+<div class='c007'>
+  <img class='drop-capi' src='images/di_076.jpg' width='100' alt=''>
+</div><p class='drop-capi_8'>
+In this age of death and destruction
+to all living creatures, which, because
+of their size or edible qualities,
+the so-called sportsman is
+proud to exhibit as evidence of his
+skill afield, it is remarkable that
+there should exist within twenty
+odd miles of New York’s City Hall
+a colony of Herons which would do credit to the
+most remote swamp of Florida.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Three factors have combined to render this rookery
+possible: first, its isolation; second, the habits
+of its occupants; and third, the protection which is
+afforded it by the owner of the land on which it is
+situated. Of these, the first is by far the most important,
+and I may be pardoned, therefore, if I do
+not betray the birds’ secret; for, much as I desire to
+encourage American industries, I must on this occasion
+withhold information of undoubted value to
+the feather trade.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The birds’ habits contribute toward their preservation,
+because they are largely nocturnal, “Night”
+being the specific name applied by the text-books to
+this particular kind of Heron; but to those who
+know him in nature, he is generally spoken of as
+“Quawk,” this being an excellent rendering of his
+common call.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_77'>77</span>The Night Heron or Quawk belongs among the
+birds for whom the setting sun marks the beginning
+of a new day—a fact which protects him from man
+and permits his existence in numbers where others
+of his family are rarely seen. Doubtless many of
+the residents of Heronville know their feathered
+neighbors only as a voice from the night, which
+comes to them when the birds, in passing over, utter
+their loud and startling call.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Finally, to the protecting influences of a love for
+seclusion and darkness must be added the unusual
+position assumed by the proprietor of the land, who
+will not permit any one to kill the birds, and,
+stranger still, does not kill them himself!</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Thus it happens that any day in May or June,
+the months during which the Herons are at home,
+one may leave the crowded streets of New York and
+within an hour or so enter an equally crowded but
+quite different kind of town.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>If after leaving the train you secure the same
+guide it was my good fortune to have, your way will
+lead over shaded roads, pleasant fields, and quiet
+woodland paths, and, if the sun is well up in the
+trees, you may enter the outskirts of the rookery
+and be wholly unaware, unless you approach from
+the leeward, that between two and three thousand
+Herons are within a few hundred yards of you.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>One may gain a far better idea of Heron life,
+however, by visiting the rookery while the foliage
+is still glistening with dew. Then, from a distance,
+a chorus of croaks may be heard from the young
+birds as they receive what, in effect, is their supper.
+Old birds are still returning from fishing trips, and
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_78'>78</span>the froglike monotone of the young is broken by
+the sudden <em>quawks</em> of their parents.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The rookery is in a low part of the woods which
+evidently is flooded early in the year, a fact which
+may have influenced the Herons in their selection
+of the locality as a nesting site. At the time of
+our visit the swamp maples, in which the nests are
+placed, were densely undergrown with ferns, and
+as we approached the whitened vegetation, which
+clearly marked the limits of the rookery, a number
+of Herons with squawks of alarm left the vicinity
+of their nests, and soon the rookery was in an uproar.
+The common <em>quawk</em> note was often heard,
+but many of the calls were distinctly galline in
+character and conveyed the impression that we had
+invaded a henroost.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The trees in which the nests were placed are very
+tall and slender, mere poles some of them, with a
+single nest where the branches fork; while those
+more heavily limbed had four, five,<sup><a href='#i_038'>38</a></sup> and even six of
+the platforms of sticks, which with Herons serve as
+nests, but in only a single instance was one nest
+placed directly below another. A conservative count
+yielded a total of five hundred and twenty-five nests,
+all within a circle about one hundred yards in diameter,
+nearly every suitable tree holding one or more,
+the lowest being about thirty feet from the ground,
+the highest at least eighty feet above it.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>While the limy deposits and partially digested
+fish dropped by the birds seemed not to affect the
+growth of the lower vegetation, it had a marked
+influence on certain of the swamp maples, the development
+of the trees which held a number of nests
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_79'>79</span>being so retarded that, although it was June 13th,
+they were as yet only in blossom.<sup><a href='#i_038'>38</a></sup> The comparative
+absence of foliage permitted one to have a far
+better view of what was going on above than if
+the trees had been thickly leaved, and on entering
+the rookery our attention was at once attracted by
+the nearly grown Herons, who, old enough to leave
+the nest, had climbed out on the adjoining limbs.
+There, silhouetted against the sky, they crouched in
+family groups of two, three, and four.<sup><a href='#i_039'>39</a></sup></p>
+
+<div id='i_038'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<img src='images/i_038.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>38. Five Herons’ nests in swamp maple, at an average height of seventy feet. The upper right-hand nest with young shown in Nos. 41 and 42.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<div id='i_039'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_80'>80</span>
+<img src='images/i_039.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>39. A view in the Heron rookery, looking upward from the ground to nests and young, about eighty feet above.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>Other broods, inhabitants of more thickly leaved
+trees, made known their presence above by disgorging
+a half-digested eel, which dropped with a thud
+at our feet and occasionally nearer, suggesting the
+advisability of carrying an umbrella. The vegetation
+beneath the well-populated trees was as white
+as though it had been liberally daubed with whitewash,
+and the ground was strewn with blue-green
+eggshells neatly broken in two across the middle;
+fish, principally eels, in various stages of digestion
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_81'>81</span>and decay; and the bodies of young birds who had
+met with an untimely death by falling from above.
+It was not altogether a savory place!</p>
+
+<div id='i_040'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_040.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>40. Black-crowned Night Herons feeding. Telephoto, × 2 at a distance of about one hundred and fifty feet.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>Seating ourselves at the base of an unoccupied
+tree, we had not long to wait before the normal life
+of the rookery was resumed. The young, who while
+we were observed had been silent, now began to
+utter a singular, froglike <em>kik-kik-kik</em> in chorus, and
+the old birds one by one returned. When food was
+brought an increased outcry was heard from the
+expectant youngsters about to be fed. At intervals
+a resounding <em>thump</em> announced the fall of some too
+eager bird, but, in the cases which we investigated,
+the Heron, if fairly well grown, seemed to be little
+the worse for his tumble of from fifty to seventy feet,
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_82'>82</span>and with lowered head ran through the undergrowth
+with surprising quickness. With those which were
+younger, however, the mortality had evidently been
+great, and, seeing the dozens of dead birds on the
+ground beneath the nest trees from which they had
+fallen, one questioned whether this habit of nesting
+high in trees had not, for protective reasons, been
+recently acquired by a species the young of which
+would seem much more at home nearer the ground.</p>
+
+<div id='i_041'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_041.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>41. Young Night Herons in nest. Same as No. 42.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>It was with a delightful sense of companionship
+with the birds that I observed them going and coming,
+feeding their young, or resting after the night’s
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_83'>83</span>labors, wholly undisturbed by my presence. Almost
+I seemed to be a guest of the rookery, and I longed
+for power to interpret the notes and actions of the
+birds so abundant about me.</p>
+
+<div id='i_042'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_042.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>42. Young Night Herons leaving nest. Nesting tree shown in No. 38.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>So I should like to have passed the day with
+them, becoming for the time being a Heron myself;
+but the desire to picture the birds was stronger than
+the wish to be a Heron, and the situation was considered
+from the standpoint of the bird photographer.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The rookery proved to be a difficult subject. No
+single view would convey an adequate idea of its
+appearance, and I therefore selected representative
+tree tops and photographed their nests and young
+birds. A visit to a neighboring pond resulted in
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_84'>84</span>securing, with the aid of a telephoto, a picture<sup><a href='#i_040'>40</a></sup> of
+two adult birds feeding well out of gunshot, and
+with the assistance of climbers I reached the upper
+branches of a tree some seventy feet in height containing
+five nests whose contents ranged from eggs
+to nearly grown young. With the ball-and-socket
+clamp the camera was
+fastened to favoring
+limbs, and after three
+hours’ work several
+satisfactory pictures of
+young in the nest and
+on the adjoining branches
+were secured.<sup><a href='#i_041'>41</a>–<a href='#i_043'>43</a></sup> Although
+well able to defend
+themselves, the
+young assumed no such
+threatening attitudes as
+the American Bittern
+strikes when alarmed,
+from which perhaps we
+may argue that they are
+happily ignorant of the
+dangers which beset
+their ground-nesting relative.</p>
+
+<div id='i_043'  class='figleft id004'>
+<img src='images/i_043.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>43. Young Night Herons on branches near nest, seventy feet from the ground.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>As the sun crept upward
+and the last fishers
+returned, the calls of both old and young birds were
+heard less and less often, and by ten o’clock night
+had fallen on the rookery and the birds were all
+resting quietly. Four o’clock in the afternoon was
+evidently early morning, and at this hour the birds
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_85'>85</span>first began to leave the rookery for their fishing
+grounds. Some went toward the north, others to
+the south, east or west; each bird no doubt having
+clearly in mind some favorite shore, perhaps a dozen
+miles away, where he before had had good luck
+a-fishing; and of all the varied phases of rookery life
+the thought of this regular nightly expedition of
+hundreds of winged fishers, is to me the most attractive.</p>
+
+<p class='c007'>Our largest Heron as well as our largest bird is
+the Great Blue. “Crane” he is popularly called;
+but, aside from other differences, the bird’s habit of
+folding its neck back on its shoulders, when on the
+wing, will distinguish it from true Cranes, who fly
+with neck extended to the utmost.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The Great Blue Heron is not edible, but its size
+makes it a desirable prize to most gunners and it is
+considered an especially fit mark for a rifle. The
+temptation is strong to condemn as an outlaw the
+man who kills one of these noble birds for what he
+terms sport, or perhaps for the purpose of what he
+would call having it “set up.” He, however, is acting
+according to his light, which is quite as bright
+as that which shines for most of his neighbors. The
+Heron is exceedingly wild, and its capture is eloquent
+evidence of the hunter’s prowess, while his
+desire to have its stuffed skin adorn his home is,
+from his point of view, positively commendable.
+That the bird is infinitely more valuable alive than
+dead, that its presence adds an element to the landscape
+more pleasing to some than could be imparted
+by any work of man, and that in depriving others
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_86'>86</span>of the privilege of observing its singularly stately
+grace of pose and motion he is selfish beyond expression,
+does not even vaguely occur to this so-called
+“sportsman,” who belongs in the class to whom a
+majestic cliff is a quarry, a noble tree, lumber. Until
+he has been educated to properly value the beauties
+of Nature, or at least realize the rights of others in
+them, he must be restrained by law, to the force of
+which even he is not blind.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Only the Great Blue Heron’s extreme wariness
+and habit of frequenting shores and marshes where
+it can command an extended view of its surroundings
+has preserved it from extinction; but when
+nesting it is compelled to visit woodlands where its
+human enemies have better opportunities to approach
+it, and its only chance for safety during the
+breeding season is to select a retreat remote from
+the home of man. For this reason Great Blue Heron
+rookeries are exceedingly uncommon in more settled
+parts of the bird’s range, and north of Florida I
+have seen their nests in only one locality.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>It was the week after my visit to the Night
+Herons that, in northern Cayuga County, New
+York, I was led by a local ornithologist through one
+of the heaviest pieces of timber I have ever seen
+north of a primeval tropical forest, in search of a
+Great Blue Heron rookery which he knew to exist,
+and only my confidence in his woodsmanship gave
+me courage to follow him over fallen trees and
+through the season’s dense undergrowth, from which
+our passage raised such a host of mosquitoes that
+every step was a battle. If the vicious little insects
+had lived only to protect the Herons, they could not
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_87'>87</span>have disputed our progress more valiantly, and on
+reaching the birds’ stronghold, where the comparative
+absence of undergrowth deprived our winged
+foes of shelter, I congratulated myself on what, for
+the moment, seemed to be no insignificant feat.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The eleven nests which my guide had seen on a
+previous occasion were found occupying their former
+positions, at least one hundred feet from the
+ground in dead trees, one of which held five of the
+eleven. During the many years which the birds
+have nested in the place their number has not
+varied, and one wonders what becomes of the from
+thirty to forty young who doubtless each year leave
+the parental trees. No other Herons of this species
+are known to nest in the vicinity, and it is not probable
+that the progeny of each year would seek a
+nesting site in some far distant rookery; consequently,
+as an alternative explanation, we can only
+suppose that the yearly product of the rookery balances
+its losses by death.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The young birds were now nearly half grown,
+but, unlike the Night Herons, they did not venture
+outside their nests, from which they uttered harsh
+croaks in evident supplication to their parents for
+food. The sight of the trees in which the nests
+were placed effectually controlled whatever ambitions
+I had entertained toward camera studies at
+short range, and I contented myself by making telephotos
+from the ground, in one of which an adult
+bird and two nests, each with a young bird appearing
+above its edge, may be seen.<sup><a href='#i_044'>44</a></sup></p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Time was lacking in which to observe these birds,
+and the value of my visit to their retreat is not to
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_88'>88</span>be expressed in words. The wildness of their home
+seemed in perfect accord with their nature, and their
+apparent safety from intrusion brought a sense of
+satisfaction which colors my memory of the whole
+experience.</p>
+
+<div id='i_044'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<img src='images/i_044.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>44. Looking upward from ground to nests and young and adult bird of Great Blue Heron at a height of over one hundred feet. Telephoto.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<div class='chapter'>
+  <span class='pageno' id='Page_89'>89</span>
+  <h2 class='c006'>WHERE SWALLOWS ROOST</h2>
+</div>
+
+<div class='c007'>
+  <img class='drop-capi' src='images/di_089.jpg' width='100' alt=''>
+</div><p class='drop-capi_8'>
+Contributing little to the material
+wealth of the nation, the
+Hackensack marshes of northern
+New Jersey are usually regarded
+as “waste land.” By the
+farmer they are termed “salt
+medders,” and their waving
+grasses are of value to him only as “bedding” for
+cattle. In winter the muskrat hunter reaps a harvest
+of pelts there. The down of the “cat-tails” is
+gathered for cushion stuffing, and the bladed leaves
+for chair bottoms. To the gunner they are the
+resort of Ducks, Snipe, Rail, and Reedbirds, which
+each year visit them in decreasing numbers; while
+to the thousands who daily pass them on the encircling
+railroads they are barren and uninteresting.
+But if beauty is a sufficient cause for being, then
+these marshes may claim a right to existence.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>In preglacial times this region was probably forested,
+but now the forest is buried beneath the drift
+of the glacier which deposited fragments of Palisade
+and Orange Mountain trap rock on Staten Island.
+During the depression of the land which occurred as
+the ice gradually receded, the waters of the sea
+doubtless passed up here and the meadow was a
+larger “Newark Bay.” Then commenced their slow
+filling up by the silt brought down by the Hackensack
+River. The river has preserved a right of
+way, but the bay has given place to a sea of reeds
+and grasses.</p>
+
+<div id='i_045'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_90'>90</span>
+<img src='images/i_045.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>45. Hackensack marshes in August.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_91'>91</span>On a bright August morning I mount a spur of
+trap rock which reaches out from the western base
+of the Palisades, and from this elevation have an
+uninterrupted view over the meadows. The cool, invigorating
+air foretells the approach of autumn; it
+is brilliantly clear. The Orange hills stand out
+with the distinctness of Western mountains. The
+sun is at my back, and the light shows the meadows
+to the best advantage. At this distance I get the
+effect of only the masses of color; tracts of yellowish
+green meadow grass tinged with copper, and in
+places thickly sprinkled with the white flowers of
+the water hemlock and water parsnip; streaks of
+light green wild rice, and sharply defined areas of
+dark green cat-tail flags. The grass grows on the
+drier land, the wild rice in the small sloughs and
+creeks which are bordered by the flags. In the
+spring the wind blows the pollen from the cat-tail
+blossoms, and a shifting greenish vapor floats over
+the marsh; in the autumn a heavy westerly wind
+raises the seed-bearing down high in the air, carries
+it over the Palisades, across the Hudson, and it descends
+like a fall of fleecy snow on wondering New
+York.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The marsh is a vast arena inclosed by the Palisades
+and Passaic hills; it is a great plain, with blue
+stretches of the winding river appearing here and
+there, and the haystacks are the huts of aborigines.
+I half close my eyes, and it is a copper-yellow sea.
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_92'>92</span>The grasses roll in undulating waves, capped by a
+white crest of parsnip and hemlock blossoms; the
+dark irregular patches of flags are the shadows of
+clouds, the light streaks of wild rice are shoals, a
+hovering Marsh Hawk is a Gull. A stately white-winged
+schooner<sup><a href='#i_045'>45</a></sup> comes up the river; her hull is
+hidden by the meadow grasses; she is sailing through
+the sea of my fancy.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>This is an impressionist’s view of the meadows.
+Now let us leave our rocky lookout and examine
+them more in detail. The meadow we are leaving is
+a meadow of all summer; the one we are approaching
+is a meadow clad in all the glory of its August
+flowers. One might think Nature was holding a
+flower show here, so gorgeous is the display. The
+railway track at the edge of the marsh is apparently
+an endless aisle bordered by a rich exhibit of flowers.
+Clusters of thoroughwort and purple loose-strife
+grow so abundantly they give color to the foreground,
+through which wild sunflowers make streaks
+of gold. There are solid beds of purple asters on
+the drier land, and delicate snow-white saggitarias
+in the sloughs. Jewel flowers sparkle through the
+flags, and convolvulus hangs from the reeds, its own
+foliage scarce showing, or, growing with the fragrant
+climbing hempweed, it forms banks of dense
+vegetation. The scarlet lobelia darts upward like a
+tongue of flame, startling in its intense brilliancy.
+There are burnet, vervain, gerardia, and running
+groundnut. But it is the marsh<sup><a href='#i_046'>46</a></sup> mallow which,
+more than any other flower, gives beauty to the
+meadow. It grows here with wasteful luxuriance,
+and the dark masses of flags serve as a frame for
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_93'>93</span>this floral picture. Out in the marsh it grows in
+equal profusion; the meadow is hung with small
+pink lanterns, as if for a <em>fête</em>. A single flower of
+the marsh mallow commands the attention of the
+most unobservant, and when growing in abundance
+it excites enthusiastic admiration.</p>
+
+<div id='i_046'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_046.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>46. Marsh mallows.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>Nor is the animal life of the marsh less interesting
+than its flora. Meadow mice nest beneath the
+haycocks. Were it not for the minks and Hawks
+which prey on them, they might become a scourge
+throughout the surrounding country. Muskrats are
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_94'>94</span>living in peaceful security in their snug summer
+homes, hollowed from the banks of the streams.
+They are the true villagers here, and pass the winter
+in icy huts, like Eskimos. Out in the grasses
+Short-eared Owls are hiding. Their day begins
+when the sun disappears behind the Orange hills;
+then one may hear
+the “quawk” of
+the Night Heron.
+Red-winged Blackbirds
+nest here, and
+in the autumn they
+gather in great
+flocks and feed on
+the wild rice.</p>
+
+<div id='i_047'  class='figleft id004'>
+<img src='images/i_047.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>47. Wild rice.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>Long-billed
+Marsh Wrens—small,
+nervous, excitable
+bits of
+feathered life—are
+abundant in the
+flags, and to them
+they attach their
+large woven nests.
+Except for a harsh,
+scolding note they
+are silent now, but
+earlier in the year
+the marsh is musical
+with their rippling
+songs. The fervor of the love season overcomes
+their fondness for the dark recesses of the
+flags, and, singing, they rise into the air as if driven
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_95'>95</span>upward by the mine of melody which explodes within
+them.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Swamp Sparrows are common, and their clear
+trill is one of the few August songs. Bobolinks,
+traveling in disguise and under the assumed name
+of “Reedbird,” pause here to feed on the ripening
+wild rice.<sup><a href='#i_047'>47</a></sup> Some of them have not yet completed
+their change of costume and appear in a spotted suit
+of black and yellow. Occasionally one hears a suppressed
+burst of the “mad music” of June, but their
+common note is a metallic <em>chink</em>. At night this
+note is heard from high in the air, as the birds continue
+their journey to the cultivated rice fields of
+South Carolina and Georgia, there to remain until
+September or October, when they leave for their
+winter home south of the Amazon.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The Sora Rails, beloved of sportsmen and epicures,
+are also attracted to the marshes by the wild
+rice. On their arrival in early August they are indeed
+“as thin as a rail,” but an abundance of food
+soon rounds their bodies into comparative plumpness.
+The 1st of September is a black day in their
+calendar. Then they are outlawed, a price is set on
+their bodies, and at high tide each day during this
+sad month one sees numerous puffs of smoke arise
+from the tall grasses and dull reports come booming
+over the marsh with fateful frequency.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>But the characteristic birds of the marshes at this
+season are Swallows. They outnumber many times
+all the rest of the marsh birds together—in fact, are
+present in such myriads that their gatherings are
+one of the most interesting and impressive phenomena
+of the bird life of this region.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_96'>96</span>Five species are represented. Named in the order
+of their abundance they are the Tree, Bank,
+Barn, Eave, and Rough-winged Swallows. The last
+are comparatively rare, while the Tree Swallows are
+so in excess of all the species named that the following
+remarks relate largely to them alone.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Although Tree or White-breasted Swallows nest
+locally throughout North America, from the tableland
+of Mexico to Labrador and Alaska, there are
+but few instances of their breeding in the lower
+Hudson River valley, where they appear only as
+migrants or transient visitants. They arrive from
+the south early in April, and their northward migration
+is not concluded until about June 1st. During
+June they are rarely seen, but between the 1st and
+the 5th of July they begin their journey to their
+winter homes—a movement which inaugurates the
+fall migration.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>This stage of their journey takes them only to
+certain marshes, which become stations on their line
+of travel where countless numbers of their kind,
+impelled by the flocking impulse, gather to roost
+in the reeds. Their numbers increase steadily
+through July and August, the maximum of abundance
+being reached about September 1st; then they
+gradually become less numerous, and by October 10th
+comparatively few remain, though if the weather be
+favorable, they may be observed daily until late in
+the month.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Throughout this period—from July to October—the
+marsh is used only as a dormitory, the reeds evidently
+offering suitable perches to these weak-footed
+birds, who in the morning radiate throughout the surrounding
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_97'>97</span>country and in the evening return to the
+marsh to sleep. In the evening they fly low, and
+the altitude and time of their flight make them conspicuous.
+In the morning they fly high, as though
+bound to some distant feeding ground, and at so
+early an hour that they usually escape observation.
+The evening flight, therefore, is generally considered
+as truly migratory, when, in fact, the same birds
+doubtless pass over a given locality night after
+night, perhaps for weeks, in returning to their
+roosts in the marshes.</p>
+
+<div id='i_048'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_048.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>48. “Bird notes”—Tree Swallows.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>These evening flights begin about two hours and
+a half before sunset, when the birds, after resting
+during the late forenoon and early afternoon, usually
+on some telegraph wire,<sup><a href='#i_048'>48</a></sup> begin to wheel and
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_98'>98</span>circle over the fields in pursuit of their evening
+meal, when one might imagine they were resident
+birds, but observation will show that the general
+trend of their movement is toward the roost.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>This continues for an hour to an hour and a half,
+a cloudy evening hastening their actions, when their
+flight becomes more direct. Few birds pause to feed,
+but hurry on to the roosting places, and as the light
+fades the last birds rush through the gloom with
+arrowy speed and directness. The birds pass in
+straggling flocks, and periods of abundance are succeeded
+by intervals of scarcity, as though the individuals
+which had been associated during the day
+were journeying home together.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Thus the Swallow’s evening flight may be observed
+throughout the region surrounding the
+marshes; even in New York city they may be seen
+feeding above the houses, and after sunset flocks of
+swift-flying birds are often confused by the telegraph
+wires, which, however, their dexterity of wing
+permits them to pass without serious harm.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>In the marshes the first birds are seen about two
+hours before sunset. Many follow the course of the
+river, and if one be at its border splash after splash
+is heard as the birds dip lightly into the water, followed
+by soft fluffs as arising from the stream they
+shake their plumage. Soon the air is filled with
+Swallows, all streaming toward the roost with increasing
+swiftness.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Many birds, however, as though waiting for some
+tardy comrades, rest by the way, perching on telegraph
+wires should they cross the marsh, or when
+these are wanting, on the tips of the reeds. They
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_99'>99</span>invariably face the wind, and when it is from the
+west the last rays of the sun striking their white
+breasts make them appear like snowy flowers crowning
+the reeds. Suddenly, with a rush, they whirl
+onward to the roost.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Thus far the exact location of this roost has defied
+my search. I have, however, roughly defined
+the bounds of that section of the marsh in which it
+is placed by observation stands at which the Swallows
+flew north and south respectively, and somewhere
+between the two I still hope to discover the
+Swallows’ sleeping haunts.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The following description of their departure
+from the marshes in the morning is abstracted from
+my journal, under date of August 15, 1886: “A cool,
+clear morning, with a light northwesterly wind. I
+reached the marshes shortly before five o’clock,
+when they appeared to be deserted, not a Swallow
+being in sight. At two minutes of five the first
+birds were observed, then flock after flock they
+came until at five the air was filled with hurrying
+forms, flying at varying altitudes toward the
+north.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>“Suddenly, from the meadows near me there
+arose a vast cloud of Swallows, doubtless birds
+which had come from farther south in the marsh
+before my arrival. Steadily they mounted upward,
+until having attained a height where with a strong
+glass they appeared faint dots against the sky, they
+slowly winged their way northward.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>“All the time the meadows were alive with birds
+feeding in every direction; gradually they passed to
+the north, when another huge flock arose from the
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_100'>100</span>marsh, and after gaining an immense height disappeared,
+this time toward the east.</p>
+
+<div id='i_049'  class='figleft id004'>
+<img src='images/i_049.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>49. Tree Swallows in tree.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>“As the sun rose over the Palisades few birds
+were on the wing, but great flocks were perched in
+the reeds on the banks of the creek, and as in my
+canoe I drifted slowly
+up to them, they seemed
+unmindful of my presence,
+when, as though at
+a signal, they arose as
+one bird, and after hovering
+lightly overhead
+returned to the reeds.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>“The tide was low,
+and along the shore several
+Sora Rail were feeding,
+and, as carried by
+the tide I floated noiselessly
+by, they paused in
+their search for food, and
+with tails upraised regarded
+me with evident
+astonishment. A mink
+approached the shores of
+a small inflowing stream,
+hesitated, then plunged
+in, crossed, and disappeared
+in the tall grasses on the opposite side. The
+air was vocal with the calls of Red-winged Blackbirds,
+the <em>chink</em> of Bobolinks, and the rattle of
+Swamp Sparrows.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>“On a reed-grown point below was another great
+army of Swallows. With surprising regularity a
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_101'>101</span>detachment left it every fifteen minutes; thus, birds
+left at 6, 6.15, 6.30, and 6.45, when the reeds were
+deserted. The departing birds did not arise alone,
+but the entire flock arose at once, then divided into
+two flocks, one of which flew northward while the
+other returned to the reeds. Many of the departing
+birds alighted on the reeds farther up the creek;
+their numbers constantly received additions from
+the ranks of passing birds, and thus new flocks were
+formed.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>“At eight o’clock the last Swallows had left the
+reeds in my vicinity, but birds were constantly passing
+toward the north, and this straggling flight continued
+until nine o’clock, when again the marshes
+appeared deserted.”</p>
+
+<p class='c007'>Subsequent observations have been made largely
+from a road crossing the marsh, the telegraph and
+electric-light wires which border it being the resting
+place of vast numbers of Swallows, both at night
+and in the morning. Particularly do they throng
+the wires near the creek, which flows north and
+south through the marsh, and which, it is interesting
+to observe, forms a natural highway for the
+Swallows as they go to and from their roosts.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>On the sides of this road are several small maple
+trees, to which the Swallows often resort in such
+numbers that their foliage trembles as though in a
+strong breeze, it not being the birds’ object to perch
+in the trees, but to flutter among the dew-laden
+leaves, and apparently bathe in the moisture they
+contain, while between the baths they rest on the
+smaller terminal twigs, when they are very difficult
+to observe.<sup><a href='#i_049'>49</a></sup> This habit does not appear to have
+been previously recorded, and I am by no means
+certain that the explanation offered is the true
+one.</p>
+
+<div id='i_050'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_102'>102</span>
+<img src='images/i_050.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>50. Tree Swallows on wire and nest hunting about pile.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_103'>103</span>Frequently one or more flocks, varying in size
+from eight or ten to several hundred birds, may be
+seen in the road, where I at first supposed they were
+“dusting,” but soon noticed that most of the birds
+after alighting in the road were motionless. They
+did not move about as though searching for food,
+but occasionally the actions of a pair enabled one
+apparently to determine the sex of each individual,
+and more often a bird would pick up a bit of dried
+grass and fly up into the air with it. Sometimes it
+was carried fifty yards or more and then dropped;
+at others, the birds would carry it to the telegraph
+wires above, and drop it after perching a moment.
+Without exception, all the birds seen to alight in the
+road were in the dull, immature plumage of birds of
+the year, and in their actions, as Mr. William Brewster
+has remarked (The Auk, 1898, p. 194), they evidently
+gave a premature exhibition of the procreative
+and nest-building instincts.<sup><a href='#i_051'>51</a></sup></p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Additional evidence of the possession of inherited
+knowledge was apparently given by many Tree
+Swallows, who were frequently seen hovering about
+a pile standing in the creek.<sup><a href='#i_050'>50</a></sup> At first it was supposed
+that these birds were feeding on insects which
+had alighted on the pile; but the number of birds—often
+a dozen or more—seen fluttering about it, and
+the persistency with which they remained there,
+forced the conclusion that in a wholly unreasoning
+way they were looking for a nesting site.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_104'>104</span>Swallows are not known to migrate by night,
+and, so far as I am aware, no single Swallow has
+ever been found among the thousands of night-flying
+birds which have perished by striking lighthouses.
+The Swallows, therefore, when migrating
+probably leave the marsh during the day, but in
+what manner who can say?</p>
+
+<div id='i_051'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<img src='images/i_051.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>51. Immature Tree Swallows gathering nesting material.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>Several times when crossing the marshes on the
+cars I have observed gatherings of Swallows which
+made the immense flocks observed daily in August
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_105'>105</span>and September seem little more than a family of
+birds. They appeared in the distance like a vast
+swarm of gnats; it was as though all the Swallows
+in the marsh had collected in one great storm of
+birds. The significance of this movement I have
+never had the fortune to determine, but it seems
+highly probable that it is connected with the inauguration
+of an actual migration toward the birds’
+winter quarters.</p>
+
+<div class='chapter'>
+  <span class='pageno' id='Page_106'>106</span>
+  <h2 class='c006'>TWO DAYS WITH THE TERNS</h2>
+</div>
+
+<div class='c007'>
+  <img class='drop-capi' src='images/di_106.jpg' width='100' alt=''>
+</div><p class='drop-capi_8'>
+Terns are useless for food, and can
+not therefore be classed as “game
+birds.” So far as we know they
+are of no special economic value.
+Consequently, when one protests
+against their practical annihilation
+for millinery purposes, he is
+not infrequently answered: “Well, what good are
+they?” The question exposes so absolute a failure
+to appreciate the bird’s exquisite beauty and unexcelled
+grace—such a discouraging materialism—that
+one realizes the hopelessness of replying.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>I confess I find it impossible to describe satisfactorily
+just what the presence of Terns along our
+coast means to me. It is not alone their perfection
+of color, form, and movement which appeals to one,
+but also the sense of companionship they bring; and
+doubtless this feeling is emphasized by the impressive
+loneliness of the sea, which makes anything
+alive doubly welcome. And so the coming of a
+single one of these beautiful creatures changes the
+character of the bay or shore. With unfailing
+pleasure one watches its marvelously easy flight, its
+startling darts for its food of small fish, and when
+it disappears the scene loses a grateful element of
+life.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_107'>107</span>A milliner’s hunter or fisherman, however, might
+have made a very different reply to the unimaginative
+individual who asked the value of Terns. The
+former would have told him that they were worth
+about ten cents each for hat trimmings; the latter
+would have said that their eggs made excellent
+omelets; and each has done his best—the one to
+lay all Terns on the altar of Fashion, the other
+to see that none of their eggs escaped the frying
+pan.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>In the meantime a number of bird lovers have
+taken up the battle for the Terns in their few remaining
+strongholds, and the brief history of Tern
+destruction and protection is full of suggestive incidents.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>It was about twenty years ago that Terns first
+found favor in woman’s eyes, and during the few
+succeeding years hundreds of thousands of these
+birds were killed on the Atlantic coast for milliners.
+Cobb’s Island, on the coast of Virginia, is credited
+with having supplied forty thousand in a single
+season, and, as one of the killers recently confessed
+to me that he knew of fourteen hundred being killed
+in a day, the story is doubtless true. Their delicate
+white and pearl-gray feathers were, of course, badly
+blood-stained; but good and bad, the skins were
+washed and then thrown into a barrel of plaster,
+which was rolled up and down the beach until the
+moisture was absorbed from their plumage. A
+Long Island taxidermist used a patent churn for
+this purpose.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The destruction at other favorable points was
+proportionately great, and in two or three years one
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_108'>108</span>looked in vain for the Terns which had previously so
+enlivened our shores.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The protection afforded by an insular existence
+was now given a practical and striking illustration.
+The Terns which nested on the mainland or nearlying
+sand bars were soon extirpated, but on certain
+less accessible, uninhabited islets, they still survived.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Thus all that were left of countless numbers of
+these birds which once inhabited the shores of Long
+Island were to be found on the Great Gull Island,
+while Muskeget and Penikese, off the Massachusetts
+coast, contained the only large colonies of Terns
+from Long Island to Maine. The existence of the
+Gull Island colony being threatened by collectors,
+the influence of several bird lovers secured the appointment
+of the keeper of the lighthouse on the
+neighboring islet, Little Gull, as a special game
+warden to enforce the previously useless laws supposed
+to protect the Terns.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The result was both encouraging and instructive.
+In two years it is estimated that the colony increased
+from two thousand to four thousand, and it was hoped
+that it might prove a nucleus from which the adjoining
+shores would eventually be restocked with
+Terns. But the Government at Washington selected
+Great Gull Island as a desirable point for fortifications,
+and before even this suggestion of war the
+poor Terns disappeared. For one season the laborers
+employed by the Government feasted on Terns’
+eggs; then the gradual occupancy of the eighteen
+acres composing the islet forced the birds to seek
+homes elsewhere.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_109'>109</span>Hence it follows that if one would see Terns in
+numbers on the middle Atlantic coast to-day, he
+must journey to two small islets off Massachusetts,
+which thus far have afforded them a refuge. Interesting
+it is to recall that on Martha’s Vineyard, lying
+between the two, are found the only living representatives
+of the Heath Hen, or Eastern Prairie
+Hen, which was once locally abundant in certain
+parts of the Eastern and Middle States.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>In 1889 I visited the Terns of Great Gull Island,
+and a desire to be again surrounded by these birds,
+and perhaps secure photographs of them and their
+way of living, brought me on July 16, 1899, to
+Wood’s Holl, Massachusetts, <em>en route</em> to whichever
+Tern headquarters it might prove most convenient
+to reach.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Quite unexpectedly there proved to be a small
+colony of Common and Roseate Terns on three islets,
+known as the Weepeckets, standing in Buzzard’s
+Bay, near the entrance to Wood’s Holl. In all, there
+were probably between three and four hundred
+birds, of which by far the greater number appeared
+to be domiciled on the largest of the three islands.
+This contains from ten to twelve acres of sand,
+grown with beach grass, scrub sumach, bayberries,
+and a few stunted pines about two feet in
+height.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>On this apparently uninviting bit of land I passed
+two delightful days alone with the Terns. The accompanying
+photographs tell far more of the birds
+than pen can well express, but they convey no suggestion
+of the pleasure I experienced in again finding
+myself among them.</p>
+
+<div id='i_052'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_110'>110</span>
+<img src='images/i_052.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>52. Nesting site, nest, and three eggs of Common Tern. A nearer view of nest with sitting bird is shown in Nos. 63 and 64.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>The birds were nesting on the upland, on the
+sloping grass bank, on the northwest side of the island,
+and on the rocky beach<sup><a href='#i_052'>52</a></sup> at its base. In the two
+first-named locations most of the nests were lined
+with grasses, but occasionally they consisted of only
+a slight, bared depression in the earth; while the
+eggs along the beach were, as a rule, deposited on
+wisps or piles of driftweed. There were perhaps six
+or eight Roseate Terns, the others were apparently
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_111'>111</span>all Common Terns, but as I am unfamiliar with the
+very similar Arctic Tern, it is possible that this
+species may have been present.</p>
+
+<div id='i_053'  class='figright id004'>
+<img src='images/i_053.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>53. Tern hovering above nest.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>A Tern colony is in some respects a unit. The
+alarm of one bird is shared by all, and before the
+boat’s keel grated on
+the sandy beach of the
+largest Weepecket, the
+snowy-breasted birds,
+which in a group were
+resting there, had taken
+flight, and with their
+singular call told all the
+other Terns on the island
+of my invasion.
+At once the birds gathered
+and, hanging in a
+flock overhead, protested
+most vigorously
+against my intrusion with their purring, vibrant
+<em>te-a-r-r-r</em>. This cry never ceases so long as one
+remains near their home; it rings in the ears for
+days afterward, and one need only to recall it to
+form a clear mental picture of a sky full of hovering
+Terns. Occasionally this monotone was punctuated
+by a loud, reedy <em>cack</em> as a Roseate Tern
+dashed by, or as some half-distracted bird, whose
+nest was doubtless near, screaming, dived close to
+my head with a sudden, startling swish. It seemed
+almost as though the bird would pierce me with its
+sharply pointed bill; and if it could have managed
+to go through the rim of my hat without damage to
+either of us, I should have been very glad to have
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_112'>112</span>sacrificed that article of apparel to such an exhibition
+of bravery.</p>
+
+<div id='i_054'  class='figleft id004'>
+<img src='images/i_054.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>54. Nest and eggs of Tern on upland.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>As I advanced I began to discover nests. Some
+were on the upland, snugly placed in the grass or
+near a large stone,<sup><a href='#i_054'>54</a></sup> and with pretty surroundings of
+yarrow, sumach, or bending grasses; others were on
+the little shelves of the steep westerly bank of the
+islet; and others still on bits of seaweed among the
+pebbles and rocks which here formed the beach.<sup><a href='#i_055'>55</a></sup>
+No attempt was made
+to take advantage of
+the concealment offered
+by the groups
+of bowlders scattered
+along the beach, and
+beneath which the
+birds might have hidden
+effectively, it being
+presumably their
+object to select a
+site from which they
+could readily detect
+any cause for alarm.
+As a rule, their nests
+contained one or two
+eggs, only a single nest being seen with three.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Although by this time birds of the year should
+have been on the wing, few young of any age were
+seen—a condition which was doubtless explained by
+the fact that the birds, thus far, had been too much
+occupied furnishing the members of boating parties
+with souvenirs of their day’s outing, to give attention
+to their own household affairs.</p>
+
+<div id='i_055'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_113'>113</span>
+<img src='images/i_055.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>55. Tern’s nest and eggs in drift <em>débris</em>.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>However, the few young that were seen gave
+a most interesting exhibition of their instinctive
+appreciation of the value of both their protective
+colors and the power of their legs. As long as they
+believed themselves unobserved they trusted in the
+former; but the moment they became convinced that
+a further attempt at concealment was useless, they
+transferred their faith to their pedal extremities, on
+which they pattered off as far and as fast as their
+strength permitted. This observation was verified
+later on Penikese,<sup><a href='#i_057'>57</a></sup> where young were numerous, and
+the habit was well shown by the young bird figured.<sup><a href='#i_056'>56</a></sup>
+He was discovered squatting among the rocks, where
+he remained, practically at my feet, while I set up
+my tripod and deliberately made his picture—during
+which operation so inconspicuous was he that I invariably
+had to hunt for him each time I removed
+my eyes from the exact spot in which he was crouching.
+Wishing now to show him to better advantage,
+he was picked up and placed on a wisp of driftweed.
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_114'>114</span>At once his manner changed. My touch had
+broken the spell; what could be felt could be seen,
+and, whereas before he had been as motionless as the
+pebbles about him,<sup><a href='#i_057'>57</a></sup> his one object now was to get
+out of sight as speedily as possible. Consequently,
+time after time, the moment I took my hand from
+him he was off, and it was only by squeezing the
+bulb the moment he was released that I succeeded
+finally in securing his picture on the seaweed.</p>
+
+<div id='i_056'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_056.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>56. Young Tern hiding on rocky beach.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>Young Terns, apparently, spend at least two
+days in the nest, during which time they are brooded
+by the parents; then they wander about within a
+limited space seeking the shade of a stone or bit
+of driftwood, always of course under the parental
+care. At Penikese, young of the year were seen on
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_115'>115</span>the wing, and the series of pictures shown represents
+the stages of growth from the egg to the age at
+which the bird takes flight.</p>
+
+<div id='i_057'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_057.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>57. Young Tern hiding in the grass.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>Both the nature of the bird’s haunts and the
+manner in which the members of a colony spread an
+alarm make it practically impossible to surprise a
+Tern upon its nest. But by lying prone upon the
+ground one attracts far less attention than when
+standing. The hovering flock of birds gradually
+disperses, and those which are incubating soon return
+to the vicinity of their nests, hanging over
+them and dropping nearer and nearer,<sup><a href='#i_053'>53</a></sup> until at the
+end of fifteen or twenty minutes they swoop down
+beside them, raise their wings high over their backs,
+then fold them gently and settle upon their eggs.<sup><a href='#i_058'>58</a></sup></p>
+
+<p class='c008'>On a second visit to the island a bit of old sail
+was brought, which I drew over me when lying on
+the ground—a plan resulting in my practical disappearance,
+as far as the Terns were concerned.</p>
+
+<div id='i_058'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_116'>116</span>
+<img src='images/i_058.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>58. Tern alighting on nest. Same nest as Nos. 60–62.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>Obviously the only manner in which photographs
+of the Terns on their nests could be secured was to
+conceal one’s camera near the nest and retire, with a
+tube or thread, to a distance of a hundred feet or
+more. A nest was therefore selected about halfway
+up the bank on the westerly side of the island, the
+camera staked to the ground with long iron pins,
+and completely covered with the dried seaweed
+abundant on the beach below. I then attached a
+black linen thread to the shutter and retired about
+one hundred feet to the top of the bank. Almost as
+soon as I lay down the tumult overhead ceased, the
+birds scattered, and the rasping <em>te-a-r-r-r</em> note of
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_117'>117</span>alarm was replaced by a variety of calls, showing
+these birds to be possessed of an unexpectedly extended
+vocabulary. One call was a chirp not unlike
+the White-throated Sparrow’s, a second might be
+written <em>tue, tue, tue</em>, and was uttered when one bird
+was in pursuit of another.</p>
+
+<div id='i_059'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<img src='images/i_059.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>59. Tern on hillside nest.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>The seaweed not only concealed the camera perfectly,
+but was so abundant near the bird’s nest that
+the appearance of a fresh mound apparently did not
+even excite the bird’s curiosity, and within twenty
+minutes it had returned to its eggs. It happened,
+however, that the nature of the site chosen induced
+the bird to face the water, and as the camera was
+above, and consequently behind it, the view presented
+did not show it to advantage, but after several
+unsuccessful trials the attempt to secure a more
+flattering view was abandoned.<sup><a href='#i_059'>59</a></sup></p>
+
+<p class='c008'>A bird was now chosen who was incubating two
+eggs placed in a depression in a little mound of seaweed
+on the beach. On this occasion the camera was
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_118'>118</span>placed on a driftwood box, weighted with stones,
+and completely covered with seaweed. These eggs
+were hatching, and the bird soon returned to them;
+but before it had come back, another bird in darting
+by had flown into the thread, springing the shutter,
+and making the picture<sup><a href='#i_060'>60</a></sup> of the nest and eggs here
+given quite as effectively as many a similarly inexperienced
+photographer could have done.</p>
+
+<div id='i_060'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_060.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>60. Tern’s nest and hatching eggs in seaweed.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>The day but one following—July 20th—these eggshells
+had disappeared, and the nest was occupied
+by two young birds with just enough strength to
+crawl toward the parent bird when it appeared with
+food.<sup><a href='#i_061'>61</a></sup> And when their appetites were appeased the
+parent bird took her place on the nest and brooded
+them with the care of an anxious hen.<sup><a href='#i_062'>62</a></sup></p>
+
+<p class='c008'>A few yards from this new family were two
+young who could not have been over four days old,
+but who had left the nest for the shade of a piece of
+driftwood. Here they were fed by two birds—doubtless
+both parents—whom they seemed to recognize
+among the other Terns hovering above them. They
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_119'>119</span>were apparently fed on small fish, which the parent
+bird placed in their open mouths while standing just
+within reaching distance. None of the several pictures
+of these birds were wholly successful, but in
+all of them the old birds seem to be much more
+graceful in form than the parent of the newly
+hatched young in the seaweed.</p>
+
+<div id='i_061'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<img src='images/i_061.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>61. Tern about to feed young. Same nest as No. 60.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>A less experienced Tern had placed its nest of a
+few bits of seaweed among the pebbles, almost
+within reach of the waves. This bird was singularly
+restless, turning its head from side to side
+so constantly that its picture was secured only by
+pulling the long thread the moment after the bird
+moved.<sup><a href='#i_063'>63</a>, <a href='#i_064'>64</a></sup> Like all the birds photographed on the
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_120'>120</span>nest, it showed no alarm at the click of the shutter
+as the exposure was made. This surprised me not
+a little. The camera was usually about three feet
+from the bird, the exposure was necessarily rapid
+(¹⁄₂₅ second and stop 8), the snap of the old-style
+“Henry Clay,” used on the first day, or even of the
+less loud Iris diaphragm, could be plainly heard at
+a distance of several yards, and its failure to startle
+these nervous, easily frightened birds makes one
+suspect that their hearing is deficient.</p>
+
+<div id='i_062'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_062.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>62. Tern brooding young. Same nest as No. <a href='#i_060'>60</a>.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>The nests of the Terns that chose the upland for
+a home were often picturesquely surrounded by
+stunted sumach or blooming yarrow, but the birds
+here were far less easy to photograph because of
+the difficulty of thoroughly concealing one’s camera.
+The owner of an especially pleasing nesting site kept
+me beneath my bit of sail for somewhat over two
+hours, while she—if it was she—hung in the air just
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_121'>121</span>over her eggs, on which I momentarily expected
+to see her settle.<sup><a href='#i_065'>65</a></sup></p>
+
+<div id='i_063'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_063.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>63. Tern on nest. Site shown in No. 52.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<div id='i_064'  class='figright id004'>
+<img src='images/i_064.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>64. Tern on nest. Site shown in No. 52.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>In the meantime the tide had arisen and floated
+my boat, which was carried by the wind across to
+Naushon, and I might
+have passed the night
+with the Terns, had
+not the Fish Commissioner’s
+launch taken
+me off in the afternoon.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>It would not have
+been an unwelcome experience.
+There was
+an abundance of dry
+seaweed for a couch—a
+nest, I had almost
+said—and some cavernlike
+openings beneath
+the piles of great bowlders
+had a very snug and cozy look, which probably
+would have disappeared shortly after sunset.</p>
+
+<div id='i_065'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_122'>122</span>
+<img src='images/i_065.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>65. Tern on upland nest.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>Two days later I went to Penikese, and my dominant
+thought on recalling the experience is an intense
+desire to repeat it. Penikese, or at least its
+northern part, is an island of Terns. On the rocky
+beach, from which the sides of the bank lead to the
+rolling upland above, whichever way I looked was
+a Tern’s nest with its two, or, rarely, three eggs.
+Less frequently young Terns were seen, varying in
+age from those just emerging from the shell to
+others almost ready to fly, while overhead was a
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_123'>123</span>countless multitude of hovering, darting Terns,
+whose voices united in one continuous, grating
+<em>te-a-r-r-r</em> made the air tremble. There was an occasional
+vibrant cack from a Roseate, but not more
+than a dozen birds of this species were heard. Asked
+to estimate the number of birds present I should
+have said ten thousand, though I should not have
+been surprised to learn that there were twenty thousand.
+However, Mr. George H. Mackay, of Nantucket,
+who may be regarded as a Tern specialist,
+placed the number of Terns on Penikese, in 1896, at
+“six or seven thousand,” and with the assistance of
+Mr. R. H. Howe, Jr., counted 1,416 nests containing
+2,055 eggs (Auk, xiv, 1897, p. 283).</p>
+
+<div id='i_066'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_066.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>66. Young Terns; first stage, about four days old.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>A small flock of sheep shared this part of the
+island with the Terns, and their presence accounted
+for the short grass which made the upland resemble
+a closely cut lawn, and permitted one readily to see
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_124'>124</span>the Tern’s eggs when several yards distant. For
+the same reason the birds could be seen even more
+plainly, and my most pleasing memory of Penikese
+is the greensward dotted with the white forms of
+breeding birds, who had returned to their nests after
+I had partially concealed myself behind a bowlder.</p>
+
+<div id='i_067'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<img src='images/i_067.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>67. Young Tern, about a week old.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<div id='i_068'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<img src='images/i_068.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>68. Young Tern; third stage, second plumage appearing.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_125'>125</span>In or near the nests many dead young birds were
+seen. The cause of their death was not evident,
+unless it may be attributed to the unguarded footsteps
+of the grazing sheep. If this be true, the
+parent birds seemed in no way to resent the sheep’s
+carelessness, but accepted their presence without
+protest; one bird even exhibited a sign of good
+fellowship by perching on a sheep’s back, and the
+length of time it remained there showed that it was
+by no means an unwelcome visitor.</p>
+
+<div id='i_069'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_069.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>69. Young Tern, fourth stage.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>My time on Penikese was too short to more than
+show what an admirable opportunity is here offered
+the ornithologist who desires to make a close study
+of the home life and social relations of Terns. The
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_126'>126</span>present owners of the island, the Messrs. Homer, of
+New Bedford, take a greatly to be commended interest
+in the welfare of their feathered tenants, and,
+through posters and the agency of their representative
+on the island, aim to afford the birds a much-needed
+protection.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>What an enviable possession! What a privilege
+to be able to give a refuge to so large a proportion
+of the remaining survivors of these persecuted
+birds!</p>
+
+<div id='i_070'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_070.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>70. Young Tern, stage before flight.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>With no desire to underrate the services to the
+Commonwealth of these gentlemen, I still could wish
+the Terns more stable protectors. Not the State,
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_127'>127</span>whose record as a Tern protector does not invite our
+confidence, but a society of bird lovers—the Nuttall
+Club of Cambridge, or the Audubon Society of Massachusetts.
+Would it not be a fitting act for one of
+these organizations to ask from woman, the Tern’s
+chief enemy, contributions to a fund for the purchase
+of an asylum for her victims. Can no one so
+plead the Terns’ cause that many a feather-bedecked
+woman will be glad to send her conscience money
+to aid in securing their protection?</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>But in addition to being a home of the birds,
+Penikese has other claims upon Nature lovers.
+Here Agassiz, through the medium of his summer
+school, brought his pupils into direct contact with
+Nature, and the scene of his labors is fraught with
+associations to every one familiar with the inspiring
+history of his life. Let us keep this island sacred to
+his memory and the Terns.</p>
+
+<div class='chapter'>
+  <span class='pageno' id='Page_128'>128</span>
+  <h2 class='c006'>THE BIRD ROCKS OF THE GULF OF ST. LAWRENCE</h2>
+</div>
+
+<h3 class='c013'>PERCÉ AND BONAVENTURE</h3>
+
+<div class='c014'>
+  <img class='drop-capi' src='images/di_128.jpg' width='100' alt=''>
+</div><p class='drop-capi_8'>
+The naturalist realizes with the utmost
+sadness that the encroachments
+of civilization are rapidly
+changing the conditions of animal
+life on this small sphere of ours,
+and that soon he may find Nature
+primeval only in its more remote
+or inaccessible parts.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Forest life vanishes with the demand for timber,
+which sends the axeman in advance of the agriculturist.
+The tillable plains, prairies, and bottom
+lands are transformed by the plow. The sandy
+beaches suffer with an eruption of summer hotels
+and cottages, and within the confines of civilization
+only such useless portions of the earth’s surface as
+the arid deserts and barren mountain tops, marshy
+wastes and rocky or far-distant islets, have been unaltered
+by man.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>It is especially to the preserving influences of
+island life that we owe the continued survival of
+many animals which have greatly decreased or become
+exterminated on the mainland, as has been
+remarked of the Terns and Heath Hen—two illustrations
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_129'>129</span>among hundreds that might be given. Certain
+animals, therefore, are not only more abundant
+on islands, but, if their home be not shared by man,
+they exhibit a tameness surprising to one who has
+known only the timid, man-fearing creatures of the
+mainland.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>On several uninhabited West Indian islets the
+sailors of Columbus killed Pigeons and other birds
+with sticks, or caught them in their hands. Darwin
+writes of the “extreme tameness” of the birds
+of the Galapagos, and tells of pushing a Hawk off
+its perch with the muzzle of his gun. Moseley, on
+Inaccessible and Kerguelen Islands, had similar experiences.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The Albatrosses of the Laysan Islands show far
+less fear of man than do barnyard fowls—in short,
+if it were necessary, hundreds of instances might be
+cited to show that distrust of man is an acquired
+and not a natural trait of animals.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Having these facts in mind, therefore, I bethought
+me of some island or islands which were
+neither at the antipodes nor either pole, and where
+birds were not only abundant, but in such happy
+ignorance of man that no difficulty would be experienced
+in securing their photographs. These would
+not only have a present interest and value, but would
+also form permanent records of conditions already
+threatened by the destructive tendencies of the age.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>After carefully considering all the more easily
+reached islets of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, my
+choice fell on certain of the bird rocks of the Gulf
+of St. Lawrence. The name bird rock is used in
+both a general and a special sense. In the former it
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_130'>130</span>may be applied to many of the rocky islets of the
+gulf, in the latter it relates exclusively to <em>the</em> Bird
+Rocks at the northeastern end of the Magdalen
+group.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Percé Rock, Bonaventure Island, the Magdalens,
+and the Bird Rocks themselves seemed to offer the
+best opportunities to the bird photographer, and,
+accompanied by my best assistant, I departed for the
+first named on July 2, 1898.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Percé Rock<sup><a href='#i_071'>71</a></sup> (so named because its base has been
+pierced by the action of the waves) lies about three
+hundred feet off the land at the town of Percé, on
+the west side of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>A semiweekly steamer from Dalhousie, near the
+head of Bay of Chaleur, furnishes the regular means
+of communication with Percé, and the town at once
+possesses a distinction over any place on the line of
+a railway. For, aside from every other reason, there
+is a pervasiveness about the smoke of a railway
+locomotive which contaminates the atmosphere and
+robs local influences of half their potency. Doubtless
+there are persons who would be glad to change
+the aroma of Percé’s fishyards for the stifling air of
+a railway tunnel, but give me the pungent odor of
+Percé’s drying cod unadulterated.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Even the steamer does not touch Percé, and we
+were landed by a boat in a sea just rough enough to
+make the experience interesting. At the pier no
+hotel agent greeted us, for Percé possesses neither
+hotel nor boarding house, and summer resorters are
+almost unknown. This was a delightful discovery.
+We had come in search of an isolated colony of
+birds, and we found also an isolated colony of man—quaint
+fisher folk whose <em>patois</em> French had a
+gratefully foreign sound.</p>
+
+<div id='i_071'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_131'>131</span>
+<img src='images/i_071.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>71. Percé Rock from the north.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_132'>132</span>Lodgings were secured at the home of a retired
+fisherman, and immediately we sallied forth to pay
+tribute to the Rock from the nearest point on the
+mainland. Its size and precipitousness were both
+surprising and impressive. Seen from the land it
+seemed like the hull of some great ship which had
+gone ashore here in the age of the Titans. Nearly
+three hundred feet high at the bow, with a beam of
+about one hundred, and a length over all of twelve
+hundred feet, it was not likely to be boarded by the
+most nimble seaman.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Doubtless an expert climber, properly equipped
+with ropes and assistants, might reach the summit;
+but as the last man to make the attempt, some fifty
+years ago, lost his life, the town authorities have imposed
+a fine of five pounds on any one who shall be
+found guilty of scaling or trying to scale the Rock,
+and the law, incidentally, protects the birds as well
+as man.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The top of the Rock is occupied by a colony of
+probably between two and three thousand Herring
+Gulls and Double-crested Cormorants. The guidebooks
+array these birds in picturesque cohorts which
+make the Cormorants’ part of the Rock black, the
+Gulls’ white; and they further state that should a
+black bird chance to trespass on the Gulls’ territory,
+he is immediately surrounded by a consuming white
+cloud, and <em>vice versa</em>. But be it said to the disgrace
+of man and the credit of birds, that the Cormorants
+and Gulls nest side by side apparently on terms of
+the greatest amity.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_133'>133</span>At this point it should be stated that my photographic
+outfit consisted of an ancient but useful
+4 × 5 “Waterbury Detective,” containing a wide
+angle, short-focus lens, and designed for general
+handwork; a 4 × 5 long-focus “Premo” with a 6½-inch
+trade lens and Unicum shutter, for use from a
+tripod or in photographing nests, landscapes, etc.,
+and a 5 × 7 twin lens with a 10-inch lens and Prosch
+shutter, a camera made especially for animal photography,
+but which was undesirably bulky.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>None of these was of service in photographing
+the inhabitants of Percé Rock from the land, nor
+could a telephoto be used to advantage, the Rock
+being so much higher than the adjoining mainland.
+From a boat near the base of the southeast side of
+the Rock a better opportunity is afforded for photographing
+its summit, and the best of several attempts
+made at this point is here presented.<sup><a href='#i_072'>72</a></sup> Examined
+under a glass it conveys some idea of the
+number of birds occupying the top of the Rock; and
+while one regrets that the camera does so little justice
+to the subject, one can not but rejoice that here,
+at least, is one place to which probably for all time
+birds may return each year and rear their young in
+perfect security.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>In crevices in the face of the Rock numbers of
+Guillemots nest, and directly above the pierced
+opening dwell a colony of about thirty Kittiwakes,
+who have apparently taken up their residence in the
+Rock within comparatively recent years, since none
+were here in 1881 when Mr. William Brewster visited
+Percé.</p>
+
+<div id='i_072'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_134'>134</span>
+<img src='images/i_072.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>72. Percé Rock from southeast end. The Cormorants and Gulls may be dimly seen on the summit of the Rock.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_135'>135</span>Wherever one be about Percé, in the town or
+out, the Rock is the prominent feature of the coast
+line. It dominates its surroundings as a snowcapped
+mountain rules its dependent ranges. To
+the bird lover it possesses a double fascination, and
+one is constantly attracted by the ceaseless cries
+of the throng of hovering birds, who in some indescribable
+way seem to invest their home with a sense
+of the charm, the freedom, the wildness of a sea-bird’s
+life. It is a true <em>bird</em> rock; man has no part
+in it.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>At sunset this bond between the Rock and its
+inhabitants seemed especially strong and real.
+Through a notch in the western hills the last rays
+of the sun fell squarely upon the Rock, illuminating
+it and the ever-present soaring Gulls after the land
+and the sea were in shadow. Slowly the light left
+the Rock, until it, too, was of the same gray-blue as
+its surroundings; then, like the beams from a searchlight,
+it struck the circling mass of Gulls, making
+them seem a flurry of snowflakes descending into
+the gloom below.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The pilgrim to Percé Rock will find that the
+object of his journey not only exceeds in grandeur
+his brightest imagination of it, but he will be further
+rewarded by discovering Percé itself and the
+country round about to be of exceptional interest
+and beauty. It was the season of codfishing, and
+every morning a fleet of a hundred or more stanch
+little boats, each with two men, put out into the bay
+for a day’s fishing. Their return, late in the afternoon,
+was an eventful part of the day. Then the
+beach was the center of attraction as boat after boat
+came in, the men depositing their catch on the sands,
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_136'>136</span>then setting up their tables and “splitting” the cod
+with surprising dexterity.<sup><a href='#i_073'>73</a></sup></p>
+
+<div id='i_073'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_073.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>73. Splitting cod on Percé beach. Percé Rock in the distance.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>This industry resulted in a singular habit among
+the Herring Gulls, which, when first seen, I was at a
+loss to explain. In a cultivated hillside bordering
+the town a flock of about fifty Gulls was observed
+eagerly devouring some food, which was apparently
+abundant. “Grasshoppers,” I thought, but on investigation
+the grasshoppers proved to be entrails,
+heads, vertebræ, etc., of codfish, which had been
+strewn over the fields as fertilizer. The Gulls took
+wing at my approach, and perched in long rows on
+the fences; a curious sight, of which I tried, but
+failed, to secure a picture.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>It was through these fields, and along the crests
+of the red sandstone cliffs northwest of the town,
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_137'>137</span>that my walks oftenest led me. A few Herring
+Gulls nested on the ledges, and Mr. Kearton might
+have succeeded in securing the photographs of them.
+But I freely confess to an absence of both taste and
+talent as a cliffman, and was quite content, under
+the circumstances, to view the
+birds from above. They, however,
+had no scruples about
+approaching me, and uttering
+a threatening <em>ka-ka-ka</em>, which
+suggested the voice of a gigantic
+katydid, circled about my
+head or, with an alarming
+<em>swish</em>, swooped down so near
+me that I invariably was surprised
+into “ducking.” Here
+also were croaking Ravens, who
+seemed by no means shy, and
+on nearly every fence post was
+a Savanna Sparrow, by all odds
+the most abundant land bird
+observed.</p>
+
+<div id='i_074'  class='figright id005'>
+<img src='images/i_074.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>74. Young Savanna Sparrow.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>Turning from the cliffs, one
+soon reached the spruce and
+balsam forests, with their twittering
+Juncos, sweet-voiced
+White-throated Sparrows, Pine
+Finches, and numerous Warblers,
+and following the gently
+ascending lanes and pathways leading through the
+fragrant woods, arrived at the shrine-crowned summit
+of Mount St. Anne, twelve hundred feet above
+the gulf.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_138'>138</span>It is a superb view of boundless sea and forest
+which greets one from this vantage point—a striking
+combination of the charms of land and water.
+To the south, the Bay Chaleur with its broken coast
+line; to the west, a grand panorama of mountain
+and valley, all densely wooded—the home of bear,
+and deer, and caribou; to the north, a foreground
+of red cliffs and blue water, and, in the distance,
+Gaspé; to the east, the apparently limitless gulf and,
+seemingly beneath one, Bonaventure Island, Percé,
+and the Rock.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>It was a view to remember; one, I trust, I may
+be privileged to behold again. I longed for time to
+explore the surrounding woods, but Bonaventure
+with its Gannets wielded a stronger fascination, and
+two days after our arrival we chartered a cod boat,
+with its crew, for the voyage to the Gannet rookeries
+on the eastern side of Bonaventure, distant about
+four miles.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The evident great strength of our craft in proportion
+to its size made it seem like a stunted vessel,
+and her captain and the crew, of one man, seemed
+built on the same lines. During the winter they
+were lumbermen in the region north of Ottawa, in
+the summer codfishers. It is doubtful if they could
+have selected occupations requiring greater endurance.
+They seemed as tough as rawhide, and as
+rough as pirates.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>My good assistant they invariably spoke of as
+“the woman,” but both proved true men at heart,
+and as solicitous for our welfare as though their own
+lives of exposure had not trained them to laugh at
+hardship.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_139'>139</span>I may seem to give undue attention to the boatmen
+of a day; but there are days and days in our
+lives, and with neither my companion nor myself
+will time dim the memory of the day off Bonaventure.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>There had been a heavy blow from the east the
+night before, the tide was ebbing, and ere we had
+passed the Rock, and while still under the lee of
+Bonaventure, our boat began to toss in a very disquieting
+manner. As we rounded the southwest end
+of Bonaventure we were more exposed to the action
+of the waves, but my physical balance was sustained
+by the anticipation of seeing “two, tree million of
+bird,” which the men declared would soon be visible
+on the cliffs.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The farther we advanced the less shelter had we
+from the land, and finally, passing the northwest
+end of the island, we were at the mercy of the full
+force of a long rolling sea, which made it impossible
+to stand, or even sit, without clinging to one’s surroundings.
+At this point, I believe, the promise of
+the most wonderful sight in the bird world would not
+have induced me to continue on our course another
+minute; but fortunately no promise was required,
+the sight itself existed, and under its inspiration I
+battled with weak nature for the next half hour
+with a courage born of enthusiasm and a desire to
+picture the wonders of the scene before me.</p>
+
+<div id='i_075'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_140'>140</span>
+<img src='images/i_075.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>75. The Gannet cliffs of Bonaventure.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_141'>141</span>On the ledges of the red sandstone cliffs, which
+rose sheer three hundred feet above the waves at
+their base, was row after row of snow-white Gannets
+on their nests.<sup><a href='#i_075'>75</a></sup> Their number was incredible,
+and as we coasted slowly onward, the red walls above
+us were streaked with white as far as one could see
+in either direction, and the hoarse cries of the birds
+rose in chorus above the sound of the beating waves.
+It was a wild picture, which the majesty of the cliffs
+and the grandeur of the sea rendered exceedingly
+impressive.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>How I longed for the internal composure of my
+boatmen! One moment I bowed to the waves, the
+next propped myself against the mast and, held by
+the captain, attempted to use the twin-lens camera.
+Water, cliff, and sky danced across the ground glass
+in bewildering succession, as, like a wing-shot, I
+squeezed my pneumatic bulb and snapped at the
+jumping sky line.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>One or two exposures were followed by collapse,
+and in time by partial recuperation, which permitted
+fresh efforts. In the picture presented the cliff is
+well shown, but the birds are not so numerous as in
+others less successful photographically. And during
+this time how fared my assistant? Charity forbids
+a reply. I will only say that, in response to a
+hail from a passing fisherman, our captain shouted,
+“<em><span lang="fr">Son malade!</span></em>”</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The supply of 5 × 7 plates exhausted, we came
+about, and sailing before the wind quickly reached
+the leeward side of the island, where, under the reviving
+influence of calmer water, we determined to
+revisit the Gannets, this time, however, by land.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Disembarking at the fishing village, which is
+situated on the west side of Bonaventure, we were
+soon in the spruce and balsam forests, which occupy
+all but the borders of the island, here about a mile
+and a half in width. The change from the turmoil
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_142'>142</span>and vastness of the sea to the quiet and seclusion
+of the forest made the previous hour’s experience
+seem distant and unreal. The wind which had
+roared through our rigging now breathed peacefully
+through the tree tops; the heaving, frothy sea was
+replaced by stable earth, wondrously carpeted with
+snow-white cornel and dainty twin-flowers;<sup><a href='#i_076'>76</a></sup> instead
+of the harsh cries of the Gannets, we heard the Ave
+Maria of the White-throated Sparrow. Rarely have
+the woods seemed so beautiful. Approaching the
+eastern cliffs, the trees became dwarfed and singularly
+malformed by the winds. Finally they disappeared
+altogether, and were succeeded by fields blue
+with iris. Never have I seen this plant so abundant.
+There were acres of flowers reaching to the very
+edge of the cliffs, where, with only a change in the
+tint, the blue of the iris faded into the blue of
+the sea.</p>
+
+<div id='i_076'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_076.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>76. Cornel or bunchberry.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_143'>143</span>We were now nearing the Gannets; desiring to
+secure a picture of a fully occupied ledge, I urged
+due caution, and advanced quietly to the edge of
+the cliff. The point was well chosen—almost directly
+beneath us, and about halfway down to the
+sea, there being a broad, rocky shelf so thickly
+dotted with nesting Gannets that every bird in the
+group was within reach of his immediately surrounding
+fellows.<sup><a href='#i_077'>77</a></sup> It was an astonishing picture
+of bird life, but only a fragment of what we had
+beheld from the sea. Under the circumstances,
+however, this fragment brought more satisfaction
+than had been before received from the entire Gannet
+colony.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The 4 × 5 “Premo” was now erected, care being
+taken to make no move which would alarm the
+birds, and several exposures were made at leisure.
+Then changing the lens to an old “Henry Clay,”
+and attaching several elastics to the shutter, I prepared
+to make a flight picture of the birds as, at the
+report of my gun, they left their nests. All ready,
+I took firm hold of the bulb and gave the word to
+the captain to fire.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The result may fairly be called a failure. As far
+as we could determine, the birds gave no evidence
+of hearing the shot or the others which followed, and
+our best efforts did not succeed in making a single
+Gannet leave its nest. Like Darwin’s Hawk and
+Moseley’s Penguins, these birds seemed happily
+ignorant of man and his ways. One could doubtless
+descend to their ledge without causing them to
+leave it.</p>
+
+<div id='i_077'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_144'>144</span>
+<img src='images/i_077.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>77. A ledge of nesting Gannets. About four hundred birds are shown in this picture.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_145'>145</span>It is conceivable that the wearing of Gannets’
+heads, or feet, or wings may some day become fashionable,
+but unless the demand be urgent and the
+price sufficient to tempt men to risk their lives, the
+Gannets will long continue to nest on the cliffs of
+Bonaventure.</p>
+
+<div class='chapter'>
+  <span class='pageno' id='Page_146'>146</span>
+  <h2 class='c006'>THE MAGDALENS</h2>
+</div>
+
+<div class='c007'>
+  <img class='drop-capi' src='images/di_146.jpg' width='100' alt=''>
+</div><p class='drop-capi_8'>
+From Percé to the Magdalens by sea
+is about a hundred and twenty
+miles, but lacking a proper vessel
+we were forced to return to Dalhousie
+and there take the International
+Railroad to Pictou, where
+a weekly steamer leaves for Prince
+Edward Island and the “Madalenes,” as the natives
+call them.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The journey is possessed of both present and
+historic interest, and the hospitality for which the
+residents of Pictou are noted assures one of a pleasant
+stay in their picturesque little town. Here I
+met a veteran ornithologist—James McKinlay—who,
+although over threescore and ten and isolated from
+others of kindred tastes, still possesses the enthusiasm
+of the genuine naturalist. His collection, the greater
+part of which he has presented to the Pictou Academy,
+contains, among other birds, a Brown Pelican,
+a Corncrake, and a Chuck-will’s-widow—all shot in
+the vicinity.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The Magdalen steamer is neither a yacht nor an
+ocean greyhound, but answers very well for the
+short voyage of a hundred and fifty miles across
+the gulf. Pictou was left at noon, and the following
+morning we awakened to find the steamer at anchor
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_147'>147</span>off an island with red sandstone cliffs, and green
+fields rising gently into hills clad with stunted
+spruce forests. This was at the southern end of the
+long sand bar which joins these so-called islands; and
+our destination, Grand Entry, near the northern end
+of the chain, was reached late in the afternoon.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>At this point we embarked in a small sailboat,
+and in a driving rainstorm flew before the wind
+across a bay two miles in width, and up an arm a
+mile or so in length, to the settlement of Grosse Isle,
+on the island of the same name. The tide was out;
+Black-backed Gulls were feeding on the flats, and
+Gannets fishing in the deeper water; Guillemots rose
+before the boat; a seal showed itself for a moment
+and disappeared—moving figures in a picture which
+impressed itself very vividly on my memory. A
+landing was made with difficulty, and a walk of
+nearly a mile through the scrubby spruces brought
+us to the home of the fisher folk, who had agreed to
+take us in.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>If Percé is isolated, Grosse Isle is in another
+sphere. Even the weekly steamer which plies between
+Pictou and the Magdalens from May to November
+comes no nearer than Grand Entry, and its
+arrival seemed a rather vague incident, made real
+only by the appearance of mail.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The lobster season had just closed, the “pots”
+were piled in heaps on the beaches, and mackerel
+fishing was now the presumable industry of the male
+population of Grosse Isle. But few fish were running,
+and each day boat after boat of glum-looking
+men came in from the sea with often only a few cod
+to show for their labor. This, however, was midsummer,
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_148'>148</span>and the Grosse Isle “season” was in full swing.
+There was a school picnic one day; on another, service
+was held in the little white church on the hillside;
+but, as I considered the deathlike quiet which,
+as a rule, reigned in the village, I wondered what
+life must be there in winter. Then the entire Magdalen
+group is frozen in a sea of ice, which renders
+communication with the mainland (except by cable,
+generally out of
+repair) impossible.
+When the
+ice breaks in the
+spring, seals appear
+and furnish
+a hazardous occupation
+to those
+who are venturesome
+enough to
+go in pursuit of
+them—a form of
+sport which I imagine
+is eagerly
+welcomed after
+the lethargy of
+winter. With us
+the Magdalens
+were only a stepping-stone
+to
+Bird Rock, but
+while preparing for the continuation of our journey
+to that point we took some note of our surroundings.</p>
+
+<div id='i_078'  class='figleft id004'>
+<img src='images/i_078.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>78. Nest and eggs of Fox Sparrow.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>The Magdalens have an interesting avifauna, but
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_149'>149</span>it was now the latter half of July and the song season
+of most species was over. Fox Sparrows, however,
+were still singing, and their clear, ringing
+whistle came from the spruces all about. The fogs,
+so characteristic of the region, seemed in no way to
+dampen their spirits, and when the gray mists closed
+in thick about us their notes rang out as cheerily as
+though the sun shone from a blue sky.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>My short excursions, however, were largely made
+along the beaches in search of some sea waif, and
+for the shore birds that would soon migrate through
+these islands in large numbers, or to the cliffs where
+the Guillemots were nesting. The latter were comparative
+strangers to me, and I had not become
+accustomed to the plump, black, white-winged, little
+birds that sat so lightly on the water. They nest in
+scattered pairs, in crevices, in the face of the cliffs,
+where my guide, Mr. Shelbourne, a resident collector,
+was particularly apt at discovering them.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Grosse Isle is not beyond the range of the nestrobbing
+small boy, and only the few Guillemots that
+had contrived to escape him now had young. They
+were feeding them on sand eels, and with bills full
+of their shining prey made frequent visits to their
+nests. The young varied in development from those
+as yet covered only with the scanty natal down to
+others half grown and with the black and white
+second plumage appearing beneath. They were active
+enough to test the temper of the most patient
+bird photographer, and the accompanying picture
+was secured only after many trials.<sup><a href='#i_079'>79</a></sup></p>
+
+<div id='i_079'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_150'>150</span>
+<img src='images/i_079.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>79. Young Guillemots.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>In the meantime we were endeavoring to make
+some arrangements for our voyage to the Rock,
+which on clear days could be seen from the tops of
+the higher hills—a hazy dot in the sea. Imagination
+peopled the view with Cartier, Audubon, and his
+successors, and I could scarcely believe that the
+scene of the wonders they had described was actually
+on my horizon. But, although only twenty
+miles away, Bird Rock now seemed more distant
+than before we had taken the first step of our journey.
+This in a measure is due to the uncertainty of
+gulf weather, the strong tides, the sudden and severe
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_151'>151</span>squalls, the prevalence of fogs, and the surprising
+rapidity with which the latter change a sunlit horizon
+to closely crowding gray walls—all of which
+make navigation in these waters more than usually
+dangerous. Furthermore, it is to be remembered
+that Bird Rock is not a port in which one could seek
+safety from a storm, but a spot to be approached
+only in the calmest weather. One might therefore
+start for the Rock under the most favorable conditions,
+be caught in a squall and, as a result, find one’s
+self at sea with the recently desired haven changed
+to an element of danger.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>With the Rock glimmering in the sunlight and
+apparently almost within reach, it was not easy to
+believe tales of disaster which had befallen those
+who in small boats had attempted to reach it, and I
+was more impressed with its inaccessibility by the
+fact that only one of the many fishermen with whom
+I talked, had ever landed on this inhospitable resort
+of sea birds.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>This man proved a friend in need—one Captain
+Hubbard Taker, of the thirty-ton schooner Sea Gem.
+I commend him to every visitor to the Magdalens
+as a man and a sailor. It was when the difficulties
+of reaching the Rock by small boat appeared insurmountable
+that Captain Taker returned from a fishing
+trip to the Labrador coast. He proved to be
+one of those rare but exceedingly satisfactory individuals
+with whom anything is possible, or at least
+who believes it is until the contrary is shown. Could
+he take us to Bird Rock? “Why, of course; and
+whenever you are ready.” So without delay we
+boarded the Sea Gem.</p>
+
+<div class='chapter'>
+  <span class='pageno' id='Page_152'>152</span>
+  <h2 class='c006'>BIRD ROCK</h2>
+</div>
+
+<div class='c007'>
+  <img class='drop-capi' src='images/di_152.jpg' width='100' alt=''>
+</div><p class='drop-capi_8'>
+If as a result of a conference between
+the birds and the Audubon
+Society a home were to be selected
+which should prove a secure retreat
+for certain of the feathered
+kind, I imagine that Bird Rock,
+in its primal condition, would
+have admirably filled the requirements set forth by
+both conferees.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>With precipitous, rocky walls weathered into
+innumerable ledges, shelves, and crevices—all fit
+nesting sites—one might think of it as a colossal
+lodging house for the countless sea-bird tenants who
+find here not only a suitable place for the reproduction
+of their young, but in the surrounding waters
+an abundant and unfailing supply of food. Add
+to these conditions the Rock’s isolation and inaccessibility,
+its shoreless outline, and the difficulty
+with which it may be ascended, and we have indeed
+an ideal refuge for sea fowl, one in which, unless
+they were subjected to special persecution, they
+might have continued to exist for centuries, had not
+the transforming influences of civilization reached
+even to this isle of the sea.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Bird Rock is about fifty miles northwest of Cape
+Breton, the nearest mainland, and twelve east of
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_153'>153</span>Bryon Island, its next neighbor in the Magdalen
+group, to which it belongs. It is three hundred and
+fifty yards long, from fifty to one hundred and forty
+yards wide, and rises abruptly from the sea to a
+height of from eighty to one hundred and forty feet.
+Its outline, the nature of its base, sides, and summit
+are well indicated by the accompanying pictures.</p>
+
+<div id='i_080'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<img src='images/i_080.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>80. Bird Rock from the southwest; distant about one half a mile.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>Three quarters of a mile northeast of Bird Rock,
+or Great Bird, as it is more specifically called, lies
+Little Bird, a red sandstone rock which at high tide,
+or from a distance, appears as two. The shallow
+water between Great and Little Birds suggests the
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_154'>154</span>possibility of a past connection and the probability
+that in some future geological age the waves will
+have completed their work of destruction, when both
+islands will have disappeared.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The history of these bird-inhabited islands is
+interesting, and gives us some information of the
+changes which man has wrought in their bird life.
+It begins with the account given by Jacques Cartier
+of his voyage to Canada in 1534. Of the Bird Rocks
+he wrote: “We came to three islands, two of which
+are as steep and upright as any wall, so that it was
+not possible to climb them, and between them is a little
+rock. These islands were as full of birds as any
+meadow is of grass, which there do make their nests,
+and in the greatest of them there was a great and
+infinite number of those that we called Margaulx,
+that are white and bigger than any geese, which
+were severed in one part. In the other were only
+Godetz, but toward the shore there were of those
+Godetz and great Apponatz, like to those of that
+island that we above have mentioned. We went
+down to the lowest part of the least island, where
+we killed above a thousand of those Godetz and
+Apponatz. We put into our boats as many as we
+pleased, for in less than one hour we might have
+filled thirty such boats of them. We named them
+the islands of the Margaulx.”</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Concerning this quotation Mr. F. A. Lucas remarks
+(The Auk, v, 1888, page 129): “While this
+description, as well as the sentences which immediately
+precede it, contains some statements that
+apparently are at variance with existing facts, there
+is nevertheless good reason to believe that Cartier
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_155'>155</span>here refers to the Bird Rocks in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
+The birds called Margaulx, which bite even
+as dogs, were Gannets, whose descendants, in spite
+of centuries of persecution, are to be found to-day
+nesting where their ancestors did before them.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>“That Cartier’s description does not accord with
+their present appearance is not to be wondered at.
+The material of which they are composed is of a
+soft, decomposing, red sandstone that succumbs so
+easily to the incessant attacks of the sea that Dr.
+Bryant’s description of them in 1860 does not hold
+good to-day. If, then, the Bird Rocks have undergone
+visible changes in twenty-five years, it is easy
+to imagine how great alterations the islets may have
+undergone during three and a quarter centuries.”</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Examination of the narratives left by other early
+voyagers in this region would yield further information
+concerning the Rocks and the destruction
+of its inhabitants; but passing to records of greater
+ornithological value, we find that Audubon, whose
+energy in exploration no ornithologist has ever surpassed,
+was the first naturalist beholding Bird Rock
+to leave us a description of its wonders. It was
+during his cruise to Labrador in the schooner Ripley
+that he wrote in his journal, under date of June
+14, 1833, the following graphic account of the day’s
+experiences:</p>
+
+<div id='i_081'  class='figcenter id002'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_156'>156</span>
+<img src='images/i_081.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>81. North side of the Rock, west of the crane.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_157'>157</span>“About ten a speck rose on the horizon, which
+I was told was the Rock. We sailed well, the breeze
+increased fast, and we neared this object apace. At
+eleven I could distinguish its top plainly from the
+deck, and thought it covered with snow to the depth
+of several feet; this appearance existed on every
+portion of the flat, projecting shelves. Godwin
+said, with the coolness of a man who had visited this
+Rock for ten successive seasons, that what we saw
+was not snow, but Gannets. I rubbed my eyes, took
+my spyglass, and in an instant the strangest picture
+stood before me. They were birds we saw—a mass
+of birds of such a size as I never before cast my
+eyes on. The whole of my party stood astounded
+and amazed, and all came to the conclusion that
+such a sight was of itself sufficient to invite any one
+to come across the gulf to view it at this season.
+The nearer we approached the greater our surprise
+at the enormous number of these birds, all calmly
+seated on their eggs or newly hatched brood, their
+heads all turned to windward and toward us. The
+air above for a hundred yards, and for some distance
+around the whole Rock, was filled with Gannets
+on the wing, which, from our position, made it
+appear as if a heavy fall of snow was directly above
+us.” (Audubon and his Journals, i, p. 360.)</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>From his pilot, Godwin, Audubon secured some
+information concerning the Gannets that then
+nested on the top of the Rock. He writes: “The
+whole surface is perfectly covered with nests, placed
+about two feet apart, in such regular order that you
+may look through the lines as you would look
+through those of a planted patch of sweet potatoes
+or cabbages. The fishermen who kill these birds to
+get their flesh for codfish bait ascend in parties of
+six or eight, armed with clubs; sometimes, indeed,
+the party comprises the crews of several vessels.
+As they reach the top, the birds, alarmed, rise
+with a noise like thunder, and fly off in such a
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_158'>158</span>hurried, fearful confusion as to throw each other
+down, often falling on each other until there is a
+bank of them many feet high. The men strike
+them down and kill them until fatigued or satisfied.
+Five hundred and forty have been thus murdered
+in one hour by six men. The birds are skinned
+with little care, and the flesh cut off in chunks; it
+will keep fresh about a fortnight. So great is the
+destruction of these birds annually that their flesh
+supplies the bait for upward of forty fishing boats
+which lie close to Bryon Island, each summer.”</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>This slaughter was evidently attended by some
+danger, for not only did the sitting birds bite viciously,
+but old fishermen in the Magdalens state
+that if the invader of the Gannets’ domain on the
+summit of the Rock should have happened to be
+caught in a rush of stampeded birds, he could with
+difficulty have avoided being carried off the edge of
+the cliff.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>In concluding his description of the Rock, Audubon
+says: “No man who has not seen what we have
+this day can form the least idea of the impression
+the sight made on our minds.” One need not be a
+naturalist, therefore, to realize the depth of his disappointment
+when the pilot told him that the wind
+was too high to permit them to land on the Rock.
+However, they did not leave without at least making
+an attempt. A boat was launched, manned by
+the pilot, two sailors, Audubon’s son John, and Tom
+Lincoln, for whom Lincoln’s Finch, discovered subsequently
+in Labrador, was named; but after an
+hour’s absence they returned without having made
+a landing, and the increasing force of the wind compelled
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_159'>159</span>them to continue their voyage to the northward.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Apparently the first naturalist to set foot on
+Bird Rock was Dr. Henry Bryant, of Boston, who
+landed there June 23, 1860. This was before the
+days of the lighthouse, and Dr. Bryant reached the
+top of the Rock only after a climb which he characterizes
+as both “difficult and dangerous.” In addition
+to the Gannets, which he found resting on the
+ledges on the face of the Rock, he found these birds
+nesting over the entire northerly half of the summit,
+and after measuring the surface occupied by
+them, he estimated that this one colony alone contained
+no less than one hundred thousand birds,
+while the number living on the sides of the Rock
+and Little Bird he placed at fifty thousand.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The position of the Rock, at the gateway to
+Canadian ports, makes it particularly dangerous to
+vessels plying in these waters, and in 1869 a lighthouse
+was erected on its summit. While constructing
+the light keeper’s dwelling and storehouses, the
+Government built two cranes—one on the northerly,
+the other on the southerly side of the Rock—for
+use in hoisting supplies. There are also now three
+other places where by means of ladders and ropes
+one may ascend. The top of the Rock was thus
+made more accessible, and the birds were consequently
+less protected from the attacks of fishermen.
+It is said, also, that the light keepers did not
+appreciate the companionship of the Gannets, and
+made special efforts to drive the birds from the
+nesting site which they so long had held undisturbed.</p>
+
+<div id='i_082'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_160'>160</span>
+<img src='images/i_082.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>82. A corner of the Rock.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>Hence, when Mr. C. J. Maynard visited the Rock
+in 1872, he found that the colony of Gannets on its
+summit contained only five thousand birds, which,
+nine years later, Mr. William Brewster reports had
+decreased to fifty pairs. Mr. Brewster also noted a
+fresh cause for the destruction of the eggs of the
+birds nesting on the sides of the Rock, in the shape
+of a cannon which had been introduced shortly before
+his visit. He writes: “At each discharge the
+frightened Murres fly from the Rock in clouds,
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_161'>161</span>nearly every sitting bird taking its egg into the air
+between its thighs and dropping it after flying a
+few yards. This was repeatedly observed during our
+visit, and more than once a perfect shower of eggs
+fell into the water about our boat.” While the
+birds have become comparatively accustomed to the
+report of the guncotton bomb, which has succeeded
+the cannon, large numbers still leave the Rock each
+time a bomb is exploded, so that it continues to be a
+means of destroying not only eggs but young birds,
+which are carried off the narrow ledges by the precipitous
+flight of their parents.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Since that date (1881) Cory, Lucas, Palmer, Bishop,
+and doubtless others, have visited Bird Rock,
+but with the entire disappearance of the Gannets
+from its summit no attempt has been made to estimate
+the further decrease in the number of its
+feathered inhabitants.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>In spite of the great diminution which this outline
+of its history shows to have occurred in Bird
+Rock’s population, the casual observer of to-day
+will believe with difficulty that it could ever have
+been more densely inhabited. It is still one of the
+ornithological wonders of our Atlantic coast, and,
+comparatively speaking, as well worth visiting as in
+the time of Audubon.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Writing now in the light of experience, I anticipate
+a return to Bird Rock with even more enthusiasm
+than I felt when after the discouraging uncertainties
+of delay we boarded the Sea Gem on the afternoon
+of July 23d, and with a fair wind set sail for Bryon,
+where we were to anchor for the night.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>What a stanch, powerful vessel the little schooner
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_162'>162</span>seemed when compared with the fishing boats in
+which we had at first prepared to make the voyage!
+Investigation below, however, did not seem to offer
+prospects of undisturbed repose, and reaching Bryon
+late in the afternoon we decided to go ashore and
+apply to the island’s owner for a night’s lodging.
+Bryon Island, with its several thousand acres of
+stunted spruce and balsam forests, its rolling pasture
+lands and grazing cows and sheep, its precipitous
+red sandstone cliffs rising to a height of two hundred
+feet from the sea and furnishing a home for a few
+Murres and Puffins, is the property of one man, who
+purchased it from the Government for a nominal
+sum. A lobster cannery furnishes employment for
+twoscore or more itinerant fishermen and laborers,
+who after the lobstering season ends in July remain
+for the mackerel fishing. When they have departed
+the population of Bryon is reduced to about half a
+dozen families, over whom the owner reigns supreme.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>We landed at the cannery and wended our way
+over a path through the stunted forests, which at
+the end of a mile or more led us to the monarch’s
+home—a small frame house adjoining large barns.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The ruler of Bryon proved to be absent in the
+Magdalens, but his wife made us both welcome and
+comfortable. We recall with pleasure the night
+passed beneath her roof, and the magnificent view
+of the setting sun from Bryon’s red cliffs.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>We awoke in the clouds, gulf clouds, which so
+often in swift-spreading banks envelop both sea
+and land in this region. It was ten o’clock before
+the sun could force its way through them, and when
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_163'>163</span>we returned to the Sea Gem we found the captain
+impatient at our tardiness. We explained that of
+course we did not suppose that he would care to
+start in so dense a fog, but he laughed at us. “Fog!”
+What had fog to do with sailing when the wind was
+favorable? Later he gave us an exhibition of seamanship
+in a fog which deeply engraved the name
+of Captain Taker on our memories.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>However, the wind still held from the right quarter
+not only for the run to the Rock, but for a
+landing on its one bit of beach, and we quickly
+hoisted sail for this last stage of a long journey.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>For two hours we watched the Rock grow slowly
+larger, then its outlines more rapidly assumed individuality,
+the lighthouse and other buildings on its
+summit took definite form, its rocky ledges were
+seen to be lined with rows of white Gannets, and
+Bird Rock became for us a reality. The storm of
+circling birds which Audubon described is not to
+be seen to-day, but enough are left to quickly exhaust
+our stock of adjectives.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>A British flag was displayed from the tall staff
+near the lighthouse. If it had been marked with
+stars and bars it would have looked less like a signal
+set as a greeting from the island’s keeper to his
+unknown guests.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>A figure on the rock now vigorously motioned us
+toward its only landing place, and heaving to the
+schooner we dropped a dory overboard and sent
+Captain Taker ashore as our emissary to treat with
+the representative of the Canadian Government, and
+explain to him that through the courtesy of his
+chief, the Hon. J. U. Gregory, we were empowered
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_164'>164</span>to invade the territory under his control. At the
+end of half an hour a large dory, manned by two
+oarsmen, appeared from behind the Rock and headed
+for the schooner. In the stern was Captain Taker,
+in the bow a stranger whose face was eloquent with
+an unspoken welcome. This was Keeper Captain
+Peter Bourque. If we had been at the head of the
+Lighthouse Board itself, he could not have received
+us more cordially. What a hunger he had for news!
+Nearly two months had elapsed since he had heard
+from the world—months rich with the history of the
+defeat of Cervera and surrender of Santiago.</p>
+
+<div id='i_083'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<img src='images/i_083.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>83. The landing at the base of the Rock, showing crate.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<div id='i_084'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_165'>165</span>
+<img src='images/i_084.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>84. The landing on top of the Rock, showing crane. The Kittiwakes at the bottom of the picture are shown in No. 85.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>Our outfit was speedily placed in the dory, and
+with the Rock and its birds now looming high above
+us, we pulled for the bit of rock-fringed beach which
+constitutes the only available landing place. It was
+already evident that the island offered endless opportunities
+to the bird photographer, and as each
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_166'>166</span>stroke of the oars brought us nearer I felt a sense
+of exultation, such perhaps as a miner experiences
+when he discovers that his claim promises an assured
+fortune. The boat was beached with a rush,
+and landing at the base of the cliff,<sup><a href='#i_083'>83</a></sup> which rose like
+a wall somewhat over one hundred feet above us
+one could realize the danger attending an attempt
+to land here in anything but the calmest weather.
+We were now introduced to the car or basket in
+which we were to make actually the final stage of
+our journey. It seemed a frail, cratelike affair of
+light strips of wood, and measured about two and a
+half feet square and three feet high. After our
+cameras, plates, gun, ammunition, etc., had been
+snugly stowed, we obeyed the direction to enter the
+crate and take seats on bits of board placed across
+opposite corners. The end of the long, dangling
+rope was attached, in response to Captain Bourque’s
+roaring “Hoist away!” a faint reply came from the
+tiny figure which in a sickening way had been leaning
+over the edge of the rock above, watching our
+proceedings, and a moment later the rope tightened,
+strained, and we were clear of the ground and slowly
+rising. A long experience in elevators had made me
+anticipate this part of the Bird Rock journey without
+concern, but the instant after the ascent began I
+discovered that we were not only going up but
+around as well, and the twisting motion was so
+novel, so unlike anything to which I had previously
+been accustomed, that I confess to a feeling of surprise,
+to say the least. The sudden jars, as the rope
+in winding slipped off the preceding coil and dropped
+suddenly, perhaps an inch, gave us a sufficiently
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_167'>167</span>clear idea of the feelings which would attend the
+beginning of a fall, and it was with a decided sense
+of having had a narrow escape that, on being hoisted
+slightly above the level of the summit of the Rock,
+we saw the arm of the crane<sup><a href='#i_084'>84</a></sup> pulled inward, bringing
+the crate over the land, to which we were gently
+lowered.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The twenty years which have elapsed since
+Cory visited the Rock have reduced the time required
+for the ascent from twenty-seven to six
+minutes. The world moves, therefore, even at Bird
+Rock.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>To a naturalist this slow passage through the
+air, about six feet from ledge after ledge, crevice
+above crevice, filled with Kittiwakes,<sup><a href='#i_085'>85</a></sup> Murres, and
+Razorbills, with great white banks of snowy Gannets
+on either side, possesses an almost stupefying
+fascination. The birds were so abundant and
+showed such entire lack of fear, I seemed to have
+reached, if not the heart, at least one of the most
+important centers of the bird world.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Alighting from the crate, we were greeted by
+Mr. Bourque’s two assistants and his daughter, a
+girl of sixteen, who, with a third assistant, now
+absent on leave, completed the population of the
+island. There should be added, however, one cow—an
+important member of the Rock colony, who had
+reached her elevated position in life by means of the
+same apparatus with which we had just gratefully
+parted company. Numerous buildings,<sup><a href='#i_086'>86</a></sup> which we
+had barely noticed from the sea, were found to form
+a miniature village on the grassy, nearly level summit
+of the Rock, giving to the scene an atmosphere
+of comfort and homeliness which strongly emphasized
+one’s sense of isolation.</p>
+
+<div id='i_085'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_168'>168</span>
+<img src='images/i_085.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>85. Kittiwakes and young on nests. From the crate.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<div id='i_086'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_169'>169</span>
+<img src='images/i_086.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>86. The lighthouse, keeper’s dwelling, and other buildings.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>The favorable light prevailing at the time of our
+arrival was far too valuable to be used for anything
+but photography. No sooner, therefore, was our
+luggage removed from the crate than, without waiting
+to inspect our quarters, I made ready the cameras
+and plate-holders. The latter, numbering
+twenty-one, furnished forty-two glass plates. I
+wished for twice that number before the day ended.
+Going to the western end of the Rock, now brightly
+illumined by the afternoon sun, I found that the
+jutting, shaly ledges permitted one to descend easily,
+and in a moment I was in the midst of groups<sup>1</sup>
+of Puffins, Razorbills, Brünnich’s and Common
+Murres, who apparently regarded me with as much
+surprise and interest as I did them, and exhibited
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_170'>170</span>an astonishing confidence in mankind. In fact, I
+was at times vigorously scolded by some Murre
+parent, who waddled toward me, bobbing her head,
+and uttering a series of protesting <em>murres</em> in a tone
+so like that of a bass-voiced man, I half expected a
+larger biped to appear.</p>
+
+<div id='i_087'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_087.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>87. Razorbilled Auks and “Ringed” Murre. × 3.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>The Razorbills were fully as tame, sometimes
+leaving their crevices in the cliff and, with a hoarse
+croak, almost flying in my face, while the Puffins
+exhibited a spirit of combined indifference and independence,
+which plainly said, “This Rock is ours.”</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>I sat down on a convenient ledge, and as the
+birds gathered about me in rows and groups on the
+border of the cliff, its ledges and projections, I
+seemed almost to be on speaking terms with them.
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_171'>171</span>So unusual and pleasing was this experience of having
+birds admit me at once to the inner circles of
+their society that I felt as though I had indeed been
+initiated into their ranks; and my enjoyment of the
+strange scene was heightened tenfold by the knowledge
+that I could satisfactorily record it. So I prepared
+the twin-lens—a camera exactly adapted to my
+present needs—and at a distance of twenty feet or
+thereabouts loaded and fired as many times as I
+pleased, with the birds none the wiser, and offering
+me each moment some new picture differing in composition
+from the last. Here was a triumph for the
+bird photographer. Who so nearly could have done
+justice to the subject? The taxidermist? One shot
+would have broken the spell? The artist? Whose
+pencil could compete with the lens in the convincing
+realism of its impression?</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>But as yet I had seen only a fragment of the
+Rock. Climbing, therefore, from ledge to ledge, I
+reached a corner where an abrupt turn exposed a
+great expanse of perpendicular wall so inaccessible
+to man that it had become a favorite nesting site for
+the birds.<sup><a href='#i_082'>82</a></sup> Here were gathered Gannets, Murres,
+Razorbills, and Kittiwakes, distributed singly or in
+rows, according to the nature of the shelves or ledges
+on which they were nesting, the Gannets taking the
+widest, the Murres and Kittiwakes the narrowest
+ledges, while the Razorbills sought the more sheltered
+crevices.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>What noise and seeming confusion were here!
+A never-ceasing chorus in which the loud, grating
+<em>gor-r-r-rok, gor-r-rrok</em> of the Gannets predominated,
+while the singularly human call of the Murres and
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_172'>172</span>the hoarse note of the Razorbills formed an accompaniment.
+Occasionally the Kittiwakes found cause
+for excitement, and hundreds of birds swooped downward
+from their nests and circled about, calling their
+rapidly uttered, distinctly enunciated <em>kít-ti-wake, kít-ti-wake</em>.</p>
+
+<div id='i_088'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_088.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>88. Puffins. × 2.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>In addition to the great number of birds resting
+or nesting on the Rock, an endless procession of Gannets,
+Puffins, and Razorbills were flying around, but
+never over it. Unconsciously one expected a pause
+in this whirling throng, but although its numbers
+fluctuated, birds were always passing. The exposure
+of my last plate recalled me to a sense of other
+duties, and when I had returned to the little group
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_173'>173</span>of buildings with their inhabitants, I seemed to have
+been in another sphere.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>My object in visiting Bird Rock was not only to
+secure pictures of its bird life, but a certain number
+of birds for the American Museum of Natural History,
+where it is proposed to represent a portion of
+the Rock with its tenants. During my absence in
+the world of birds my good assistant had turned one
+of the supply houses into a laboratory, and was
+already at work preparing specimens with which
+the active Shelbourne and attentive keepers had
+plentifully supplied her.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>A gun was necessary only in securing Gannets
+and Kittiwakes, the Murres and Razorbills being
+caught in a dip-net by the keepers; one of whom,
+having a rope about his waist which was held by his
+associate, advanced to the edge of the cliff or “cape,”
+as it is termed locally, and looked cautiously over in
+quest of the birds resting on the ledges immediately
+below. Having learned their position the net was
+thrust quickly downward, and the birds, in attempting
+to escape, often flew directly into it and became
+entangled in its meshes. Puffins were captured on
+their nests in crevices in the face of the Rock or in
+the holes they had burrowed in the earth on the
+top. The latter were sometimes shared with Leach’s
+Petrel, who also occupied small burrows of their
+own.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The schooner had dropped anchor near the Rock,
+but the wind increasing in strength, Captain Taker
+set sail for the lee of Bryon, and at midnight, when
+we concluded our day’s work, there was a promise of
+a stormy morrow, which daylight fulfilled. The
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_174'>174</span>wind drove the waves to the rock-set base of our
+islet with terrific force, making landing or departure
+out of the question. We had come just in time.
+The light prohibited successful photography, and
+the day was devoted to collecting and preserving
+specimens and exploring the Rock.</p>
+
+<div id='i_089'  class='figleft id004'>
+<img src='images/i_089.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>89. Murre’s egg.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>We had arrived in the height of the nesting season,
+all of the seven species breeding on the Rock
+having eggs and young in various stages of development.
+It was evident, however, that the number of
+eggs and young was small as compared with the
+number of adults, a condition which was explained
+by Captain Bourque’s statement, that he thought
+about five thousand eggs had been taken from the
+Rock by fishermen that year. These were the eggs
+of Murres and Razorbills,
+the former being
+the most abundant
+birds on the Rock.
+Both the Common
+and Brünnich’s Murre
+were present, but I am
+unable to say which
+was the more numerous.
+There were also a
+few of the singular, so-called
+“Ringed” Murres,<sup><a href='#i_087'>87</a></sup>
+a bird whose
+standing is in doubt,
+some ornithologists regarding it as a distinct species,
+others as an individual variety.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Both species of Murre laid their single peculiarly
+marked eggs on the bare shelves or ledges in the
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_175'>175</span>most exposed situations;<sup><a href='#i_089'>89</a></sup> and seeing them now for
+the first time in Nature, I was quite willing to accept
+the theory which has been advanced to account for
+their markedly toplike or pearlike shape. A round
+or elliptical egg, laid in the situations often chosen
+by the Murres,
+would, when
+moved by the
+wind or incubating
+bird, readily
+roll from its precarious
+position,
+but the pointed
+egg of the Murre
+when disturbed
+describes a circle
+about its own end.
+Thus, like a diplomat,
+it seemingly
+yields to superior
+force while
+retaining its original
+position. The
+eggs vary in color from greenish blue to buff, and
+are strikingly scrawled and blotched with shades
+of chocolate. No two are alike, a fact which it is
+supposed may aid the parent Murre in distinguishing
+her own egg among the dozens with which it
+may be placed.</p>
+
+<div id='i_090'  class='figright id004'>
+<img src='images/i_090.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>90. Young Murres and egg.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>The few eggs seen were doubtless laid by birds
+which had been robbed earlier in the season, but
+young were found in every stage, from the newly
+hatched downy chick,<sup><a href='#i_090'>90</a></sup> who sat on his narrow ledge
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_176'>176</span>vigorously screeching for food, to others half grown
+and with the natal down almost entirely replaced by
+the first winter plumage. The parents were still in
+attendance on the oldest birds, and no young were
+seen in the water.</p>
+
+<div id='i_091'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_091.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>91. Kittiwakes and young on nest. From the crate. × 2. An enlarged detail of No. 85.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>Razorbills, perhaps because the Rock contained
+comparatively few of the sheltered nooks they require
+for nesting sites, were less abundant than
+Murres. Their downy young were much lighter in
+color than the young of the Murres, and their high
+squealing whistle could easily be distinguished from
+the screech of the young Murres. Of two specimens
+which had nearly completed the acquisition of their
+winter plumage, one had the white line from the eye
+to the bill so characteristic of the adult fully developed,
+while in the other it was wholly wanting—a
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_177'>177</span>variability in marking which suggests that the
+white stripe of the Ringed Murre is a similar individual
+peculiarity.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Next to the Murres the Kittiwakes are probably
+the most numerous birds on the Rock. Doubtless
+for the reason that they select the less accessible
+ledges where their eggs can not be so readily taken,
+their young were more advanced than those of any
+other of the birds breeding here. Their nests, rather
+bulky structures of seaweed, which often projected
+well over the edge of the ledge on which they were
+built, contained only young with their parents, one
+or two birds constituting a brood.<sup><a href='#i_091'>91</a></sup></p>
+
+<div id='i_092'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<img src='images/i_092.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>92. Entrance to Puffin’s burrow.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>Kittiwakes were never observed perching on the
+upper ledges or rim of the Rock in the situations
+commonly selected by Murres, Razorbills, and Puffins.
+The last-named species, in fact, was never seen
+resting far from the top of the Rock, and its nests
+were placed in burrows excavated on the summit of
+the Rock, at the west end. Occasionally advantage
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_178'>178</span>was taken of an opening beneath a ledge, but generally
+the bird excavated a hole,<sup><a href='#i_092'>92</a></sup> about four inches
+in diameter and three or four feet in length, at the
+end of which we found the nest of grasses and feathers,
+with its single elliptical white egg<sup><a href='#i_093'>93</a></sup> and sitting
+bird, or a sooty, down-covered nestling.<sup><a href='#i_094'>94</a></sup></p>
+
+<div id='i_093'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<img src='images/i_093.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>93. Puffin’s nest and egg at the end of excavated burrow.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>Woe to the unsuspecting person who thrusts his
+hand into the jaw, one might say, of an incubating
+Puffin. Nature has not only provided the bird with
+an uncommonly powerful and efficient pair of mandibles,
+but also with a disposition which prompts it
+to use them to the best advantage. Never have I
+seen anything in the shape of a bird so diabolically
+vicious as a Puffin. An individual which we captured
+alive and attempted to study in our workroom,
+proved altogether too fierce a creature to have
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_179'>179</span>about, and its hoarse voice—half grunt, half groan—added
+to its unattractiveness.</p>
+
+<div id='i_094'  class='figright id004'>
+<img src='images/i_094.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>94. Young Puffin on nest at the end of burrow.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>In Nature, however, their trim appearance was
+very pleasing; <em>Paroquets</em>, the French-Canadians call
+them, and one has only to see the bird in life to appreciate
+the applicability of the name. It is not
+alone their looks but also their actions which suggest
+the Parrot. Unlike the Murres and Razorbills, they
+do not rest on the whole foot, but stand quite erect
+on the toes alone, and
+run about with the
+characteristic pattering
+steps of Parrots. When
+the wind blew fresh
+from the sea they often
+faced it, hovering a
+foot or two above the
+rocks on outstretched,
+motionless wings, and
+retaining for several
+seconds this perfect balance
+between gravity
+and air pressure.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>It is quite possible
+that I may have wholly
+misjudged the Puffin’s
+character, and that
+when unmolested their
+nature is peaceable in
+extreme. At any rate,
+they seem to be not only on excellent terms with
+their own kind, but with the very distantly related
+Leach’s Petrels, with which they sometimes
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_180'>180</span>shared their underground homes, one bird’s nest
+being at the end of the burrow, the other about half
+way to the entrance. The Petrels also occupied
+burrows of their own, which, judging from the
+actions of the birds found in them, they had excavated
+by the aid of their toes.<sup><a href='#i_095'>95</a></sup></p>
+
+<div id='i_095'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_095.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>95. Leach’s Petrel on nest at end of excavated burrow.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>The Petrel’s nests were composed of fine grasses
+and a few feathers, and one nest contained two bits
+of white birch bark, the presence of which raised
+the question as to whether these gleaners of the sea
+do not gather suitable nesting material when they
+find it floating on the surface of the water. Two of
+the eight or ten Petrels’ nests examined contained a
+single white egg; one egg constituting a full set
+with this species, as with all the other rock-nesting
+birds, except the Kittiwake. The remaining nests
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_181'>181</span>were each occupied by a newly hatched young bird—a
+gray ball of down, so unlike anything in feathers
+I had ever seen that, if it had not been for their
+tiny, young chickenlike
+<em>peep</em>, I
+should have been
+inclined to pass it
+by as a wad of gray
+cotton.<sup><a href='#i_096'>96</a></sup> Never
+more than one of
+the parent birds,
+either the male or
+female, was found
+on the nest, nor was
+a single Petrel seen
+about the Rock
+during the day.</p>
+
+<div id='i_096'  class='figright id004'>
+<img src='images/i_096.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>96. Young Leach’s Petrel removed from burrow with nesting material.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>The Puffins and Petrels are now the only birds
+nesting on the summit of the Rock, not a single descendant
+of the one hundred thousand Gannets which,
+according to Bryant, occupied the top of the Rock
+in 1860 now being found there. To-day this species
+nests only on the less accessible border ledges on
+the face of the Rock, where they are grouped in
+colonies. Most of them were incubating, but several
+were brooding their young, which ranged in
+size from the naked, black-skinned, newly hatched
+chick to those that had acquired the white, swan’s-downlike
+first plumage.<sup><a href='#i_097'>97</a></sup></p>
+
+<p class='c008'>With the exception of two white, black-spotted
+birds, all the Gannets seen, both on Bird Rock and
+Bonaventure, were in the adult white plumage, and
+if, as has been stated, this plumage is not gained
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_182'>182</span>until the bird is two years old, the question arises,
+What becomes of the immature birds during the
+nesting season?</p>
+
+<div id='i_097'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_097.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>97. Young Gannet.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>An estimate of the number of individuals representing
+the seven species just mentioned as nesting
+on the Rock, is perhaps not warranted by my brief
+experience, nor should I attempt to give one, did not
+my photographs permit me to count with a fair degree
+of accuracy the number of birds in view on that
+part of the Rock shown in these pictures. Time
+was lacking to make, from a boat, a series of photographs
+of the Rock which would include all its
+bird-inhabited portions, and the appended estimates
+are based on the results of a count of the birds in
+photographs of about one half the occupied area.
+Murres, Razorbills, and Puffins can not be distinguished
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_183'>183</span>in these pictures and are therefore grouped
+under one head, it being calculated that about from
+fifteen hundred to two thousand individuals of these
+species make the Rock their home. Of this number
+probably not more than one hundred are Puffins,
+while the Common and Brünnich’s Murres (<em>Uria
+troile et U. lomvia</em>) outnumber the Razorbills at
+least four to one.</p>
+
+<div id='i_098'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<img src='images/i_098.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>98. Gannets. × 3. An enlarged detail of No. 99.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>The Kittiwake population of the Rock probably
+numbers between six hundred and eight hundred
+birds; of Gannets, there are perhaps left only fifteen
+hundred of the more than one hundred thousand
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_184'>184</span>birds which Dr. Bryant writes of as living on the
+top of the Rock alone; and of Petrels, not more than
+fifty.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>When on the Rock I should have said that it
+was tenanted by at least ten thousand birds, and I
+was not a little surprised to find that the evidence
+furnished by my photographic records gave a total
+of about four thousand birds. However, the sight
+of four thousand birds domiciled in one small islet
+is sufficiently impressive to increase the pulse beat
+of the most phlegmatic traveler; and even if this
+estimate be too large, the Rock’s merits as a bird
+resort are too substantial to be affected by any
+decrease in it which truth demands.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>To return to an account of the day’s doings, the
+light, as has been said, was unfavorable for photography,
+and the time was devoted to collecting and
+preparing specimens and making a hurried survey
+of the bird rookeries on the Rock, with results
+briefly set forth above; but late in the afternoon
+the sun gave indications of its whereabouts behind
+the clouds, and I immediately substituted the camera
+for the scalpel, and had Keeper Bourque lower
+me in the crate in order that I might secure photographs
+of the birds observed on our ascent.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Neither the stability of the crate nor its constant
+turning were conditions which a photographer
+would choose, and, without the twin-lens it would
+have been impossible to secure pictures of the Kittiwakes<sup><a href='#i_085'>85</a></sup>
+and Murres, who in a surprised but unalarmed
+manner regarded me from their nests on
+the Rock, in some instances at a distance of not
+more than six feet.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_185'>185</span>At ten o’clock at night I visited the west end of
+the Rock to see and hear the Petrels that nest there.
+The casual visitor to Bird Rock would be quite
+unaware of the presence of these birds; indeed, one
+might live there for years without knowing that
+Petrels made it their home. As far as the Rock is
+concerned, the birds are strictly nocturnal; but as
+usually only one bird—either male or female—is
+found on the nest, it is supposed that its mate is at
+sea feeding. If this supposition be true, I am at a
+loss to account for the entire absence of the birds
+during the daytime. Why should they not return
+to their nests before nightfall? And if, as stated,
+the sea bird takes the place of the nest bird, does
+the latter always feed at night and the former by
+day, or do they sometimes change about, thus making
+the same individual both nocturnal and diurnal
+in habit?</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>However this may be, I had no sooner reached
+the part of the Rock tenanted by the Petrels than I
+was given the most surprising evidence of their
+activity during the night. From the ground at my
+feet and on every side there issued the uncanny
+little song—if I may so call it—of birds doubtless
+sitting at the mouths of their burrows. It was not
+like the cry of a sea bird, but a distinctly enunciated
+call of eight notes, possessing a character wholly its
+own, and not to be compared to the notes of any
+bird I have ever heard, though at the time it
+impressed me as having a certain crowing quality.
+Such a call might be uttered by elves or brownies.
+Occasionally I saw a blur of wings as a bird passed
+between me and the lighthouse.</p>
+
+<div id='i_099'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_186'>186</span>
+<img src='images/i_099.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>99. Gannets on nests.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>Later, the fog, which had been scudding over us
+in wisps and ribbons, closed in, and through the
+medium of a guncotton bomb the Rock gave notice
+of its presence to the mariners who might be in the
+surrounding waters. Captain Taker heard the dull,
+booming voice as with disappointing promptness he
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_187'>187</span>came to take us from the Rock, and early in the
+morning we heard his fog horn from the gray bank
+below telling where the Sea Gem, as yet unseen, was
+anchored.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>In the hope of better weather I deferred photographing
+the Gannets, the only accessible colony of
+which was on the north side of the Rock; but forced
+now to make the best of the existing conditions,
+I took the twin-lens, fastened one end of a rope
+about my waist, and gave the other end to Captain
+Bourque, in order that, unhampered by thought of
+fall, I might creep along the slippery ledges where
+the birds nested.<sup><a href='#i_099'>99</a></sup></p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The fog had lifted, but the day was gloomy, and
+only the white plumage of the birds and a wide-open
+lens yielded successful photographs.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>It was my first visit to the big white birds, who,
+in spite of persecution, have as yet acquired but little
+fear of man, and as with hoarse croaks and a dashing
+of wings they pitched onto the narrow ledges
+near me, their size and boldness, in connection with
+my somewhat insecure footing, aroused in me a feeling
+which I had not experienced when surrounded
+by the smaller Murres, Auks, and Puffins. The
+main nesting ledge was out of reach below, but
+small groups of birds were nearer, and these I photographed
+at a distance of about ten feet.<sup><a href='#i_100'>100</a></sup></p>
+
+<p class='c008'>These Gannets are magnificent birds, and when
+on the wing exhibit a combination of power and
+grace excelled by no other bird I have seen. They
+are most impressive when diving, as with half-closed
+wings, like great spearheads, they descend from a
+height of about forty feet with a force and speed
+that takes them wholly out of sight, and splashes the
+water ten feet or more into the air. Cory graphically
+compares the sight of a distant flock of Gannets
+diving at a school of fish, to a continuous stream of
+beans poured from a pail.</p>
+
+<div id='i_100'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_188'>188</span>
+<img src='images/i_100.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>100. Gannet on nest. Two nests in foreground.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_189'>189</span>Captain Bourque tells me that Gannets are no
+longer used for bait by the codfishers; but when one
+realizes that only two colonies of these grand birds,
+comprising a few thousand individuals, are all that
+are left of the species in this hemisphere, one could
+wish for these survivors something more than negative
+protection.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>In the afternoon the weather gave promise of
+clearing, and entering the crate we were swung out
+over the edge of the Rock on the first stage of our
+homeward journey. The collections and outfit were
+placed aboard the schooner, while in a dory we
+attempted to visit Little Bird; but before we had
+rowed a quarter of a mile the fog crept back, Great
+Bird slowly disappeared from view and became only
+a periodic boom in the gray wall, and we returned
+to the schooner without delay.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The sail to Bryon, where we passed the night, apparently
+demonstrated Captain Taker’s possession of
+the sense of direction. In spite of a head wind,
+violent squalls, and a strong tide, he made his way
+through the fog with perfect assurance and dropped
+anchor at a particular lobster buoy, visible less than
+fifty yards from the schooner, but which in effect he
+appeared to have seen before we left the Rock. It
+was a remarkable bit of seamanship.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>In Bird Rock the Canadian Government possesses
+an object of surpassing interest, one which, south of
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_190'>190</span>Greenland, is unique in eastern North America. It
+is the obvious duty of the proper authorities to preserve
+it, and the ease with which this can be done
+makes further neglect inexcusable. The appointment
+of the light keeper as a game warden is the
+only step required to make Bird Rock a safe retreat
+for sea fowl, until, in some future geologic age, it
+shall have yielded to the relentless attack of the
+waters.</p>
+
+<div class='chapter'>
+  <span class='pageno' id='Page_191'>191</span>
+  <h2 class='c006'>LIFE ON PELICAN ISLAND, WITH SOME SPECULATIONS ON THE ORIGIN OF BIRD MIGRATION</h2>
+</div>
+
+<div class='c007'>
+  <img class='drop-capi' src='images/di_191.jpg' width='100' alt=''>
+</div><p class='drop-capi_8'>
+The study of isolated colonies of
+birds, particularly of those situated
+on islands, throws much light
+on several as yet little-understood
+problems of bird migration.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>With mainland birds of general
+distribution—the Robin, for example—the
+individual is, except when nesting, lost in
+the species, and unless the bird be peculiarly
+marked who can say whether the Robins which
+nest with us one year are the same as those of
+the preceding season—where our summer Robins
+winter, or our winter Robins summer? and who can
+tell whether the first Robins to come in the spring
+are our summer resident birds, or early migrants
+<em>en route</em> to more northern nesting grounds?</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>In the case of certain island-inhabiting birds,
+however, some of these questions may be answered
+with a fair degree of certainty. Thus Ipswich Sparrows
+are known to nest only on Sable Island, off the
+Nova Scotia coast, and we are warranted in believing
+that the same birds, fate permitting, return to
+their sandy home year after year. Gannets (<em>Sula
+bassana</em>) nest in the western hemisphere only on
+three islets in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and it is
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_192'>192</span>probable that the surviving individuals return each
+year to their former breeding grounds. The Terns
+of Muskeget and Penikese, forming the only two
+large colonies of these birds remaining on the Atlantic
+coast, return to their island retreats every
+spring; and actuated by this same love of home, the
+Brown Pelicans of the Indian River region of eastern
+Florida annually repair to a certain small island
+for the purpose of rearing their young. Many similar
+cases might be cited in confirmation of the belief—supported
+also by isolated observations on the
+mainland—that birds nest in the same locality
+throughout their lives, and, on occasion, may even
+occupy their previous season’s nest.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>As regards the manner in which these island-inhabiting
+birds arrive at the nesting grounds, as
+far as our recorded information goes, it seems that
+without relation to latitude they appear each spring
+with remarkable regularity, not straggling back a
+few at a time, but sending on an advance guard,
+which usually remains only a short time and is followed,
+a few days later, by apparently the entire
+colony.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Thus, Mackay writes of the Terns of Penikese:
+“In 1893 the Terns arrived on May 10th, in the night,
+an advance guard of several hundred being noted
+early the following morning at daylight; these all
+left before noon of the 11th, and on the morning of
+the 12th, before daylight, immense numbers had
+again arrived.... In 1896 the Terns commenced to
+arrive during the night of May 9th; they were in
+evidence at daylight on the 10th, and continued to
+arrive all day, and on the morning of the 11th the
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_193'>193</span>usual colony had taken possession of the island.”
+(Auk, xiv, 1897, p. 284.)</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The migration of the island-nesting Terns in the
+tropics is apparently no less regular. Scott states
+that the Noddy arrived in the Tortugas “on April
+20th in large numbers, but remained only two days;
+after inspecting their breeding grounds, all departed
+to return about a week later in greatly increased
+numbers, when breeding was almost at once commenced.”
+(Auk, vii, 1890, p. 306.)</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>These insular colonies, however, not only throw
+much light on certain existing phases of bird migration,
+but they also furnish us with a clew to the
+origin of migration itself. This is especially true of
+those species whose lives are passed in the tropics
+or subtropics, and which we are accustomed to class
+as nonmigratory or as “permanent residents,” but
+which are as regularly migratory, in the real meaning
+of the word, as if they summered within the
+arctic circle and wintered south of the equator.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Their movements are apparently in no way influenced
+by climate nor, at this season, are they
+governed by the food supply, but prompted solely
+by the annually recurring physiological change
+which fits both sexes for reproduction, they repair
+to a certain islet, perhaps in the heart of their range,
+with the one object of finding a suitable nesting site
+in which their eggs may be laid and young reared in
+safety; and this object accomplished, they desert the
+locality, where they may be unknown until the following
+spring.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Divested, therefore, of the complications which
+ensue when in studying the migration of birds the
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_194'>194</span>questions of food and climate must be considered,
+we have here the problem reduced to its simplest
+terms; and in the desire for seclusion during the
+breeding season which induces birds to conceal their
+nests, if possible perhaps near by, but if necessary
+after a journey of varying length undertaken especially
+for the purpose, we have a good and sufficient
+cause for the origin of bird migration.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>An attempt to explain the present manifestation
+of the migratory movement involves a study of the
+climatic changes to which our globe has been subjected.
+No doubt many birds controlled by “heredity
+of habit” make semiannual journeys which
+at one time were necessary, but under existing circumstances
+are no longer required. Why, for example,
+should the Bobolink winter south of the
+Amazon, while its ally, the Red-winged Blackbird
+(<em>Agelaius phœniceus</em>), does not leave the eastern
+United States? I have, however, no intention of
+writing an essay on bird migration, and these
+thoughts are presented merely as preliminary to a
+study of the life of Pelican Island, of a visit to
+which they are in part the outcome.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Pelican Island is situated midway between the
+northern and southern extremities of Indian River,
+near the eastern shore of a key which here makes
+the river about three miles wide. It is triangular
+in shape and contains about three acres of ground,
+on which grow a few black mangroves, a cabbage
+palm or two, and great patches of grass; but at
+least one fourth of its surface is bare ground.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>On one of the islands of the near-by Narrows a
+few pairs of Brown Pelicans are said to have nested,
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_195'>195</span>but, with this exception, Pelican Island doubtless
+forms the nesting ground of all the Pelicans of Indian
+River.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The question why the birds should select this
+particular island in preference to the scores of
+others which, to the human eye, appear to be
+equally well suited to their needs, is a difficult one
+to answer. Perhaps no true selection is shown by
+the existing birds, which, as with many other island-inhabiting
+species, may be the survivors of a once
+more widely distributed species, who have been preserved
+by the protection afforded by their island
+home. Such a colony might owe its beginning to a
+pair of birds who were the true selectors of the site
+of the future colony. The preserving influences of
+the situation were potent from the beginning. The
+first brood reached maturity without mishap, and
+in response to the instinct which prompts a bird to
+return to the region of its birth, they, with successive
+generations, came back and eventually established
+the prevailing conditions.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The attachment of these Pelicans for their home
+affords a remarkable illustration of the power of
+habit. Ever since the Indian River region has been
+subject to annual invasion by tourists, among whom
+the man with the gun is conspicuous both by numbers
+and actions, the inhabitants of Pelican Island
+have been wantonly and, on occasions, brutally persecuted.
+Scarcely a day passes during February
+and March that one or more boat loads of tourists,
+perhaps from the mainland or a passing yacht, do
+not land on Pelican Island and thoughtlessly cause
+the death of many young birds by driving them
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_196'>196</span>from the vicinity of their nests; or, by frightening
+the brooding birds, they expose the newly hatched
+and naked nestlings to the roasting rays of the sun.
+The harm caused by these visitors, however, is not
+to be compared to that wrought by so-called
+“sportsmen,” who, in defiance of every law of manhood,
+have gone to Pelican Island and killed thousands
+of the birds simply because they afforded a
+ready mark for their guns. They had not even the
+excuse of a demand upon their skill, and must
+indeed have been very near the level of the brute
+to have found pleasure in killing birds which the
+merest novice with a gun would find it difficult to
+miss.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Perhaps even worse than this exhibition of pure
+savagery are the raids of the self-styled “oölogists,”
+who, in the name of science—save the mark!—have
+journeyed to Pelican Island with the express purpose
+of taking every egg they could lay their insatiable
+fingers upon, afterward to boast, in some
+journal devoted to reporting similar crimes, of the
+hundreds they had collected in so many hours.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>So persistently have the Pelicans been molested
+that at times they have been foiled to desert their
+beloved island; but they have exhibited their attachment
+for it by establishing themselves on the
+nearest available islet, and on the first opportunity
+have returned to their native land.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>It was in March, 1898, that my best assistant and
+I boarded the little sloop which was to take us to
+Pelican Island. Fortunately the birds were now in
+possession of their ancestral domain, and, as we
+approached, files of Pelicans were seen returning
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_197'>197</span>from fishing expeditions, platoons were resting on
+the sandy points, some were bathing, others sailing
+in broad circles high overhead. Soon we could hear
+the sound of many voices—a medley of strange cries
+in an unknown tongue. Arriving and departing on
+wings, the inhabitants of Pelican Island have little
+need of deep water harbors, and we were obliged to
+anchor our sloop about a hundred yards from the
+island and go ashore in a small boat.</p>
+
+<div id='i_101'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_101.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>101. Pelicans on ground nests.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>No traveler ever entered the gates of a foreign
+city with greater expectancy than I felt as I stepped
+from my boat on the muddy edge of this City of
+the Pelicans. The old birds, without a word of protest,
+deserted their homes, leaving their eggs and
+young at my mercy. But the young were as abusive
+and threatening as their parents were silent and
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_198'>198</span>unresisting. Some were on the ground, others in
+the bushy mangroves, some were coming from the
+egg, others were learning to fly; but one and all—in
+a chorus of croaks, barks, and screams, which
+rings in my ears whenever I think of the experience—united
+in demanding that I leave the town. If I
+approached too near, their cries were doubled in
+violence and accompanied by vicious lunges with
+their bills, which were snapped together with a
+pistol-like report.<sup><a href='#i_102'>102</a></sup> As I walked from tree to tree,
+examining the noisy young birds that were climbing
+about the branches, I seemed to be passing from
+cage to cage in a zoölogical garden; and as I entered
+that part of the island where the nests were
+on the ground,<sup><a href='#i_101'>101</a></sup> every bird that could walk left
+its home, and soon I was driving a great flock of
+young Pelicans, all screaming at the tops of their
+voices.</p>
+
+<div id='i_102'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_102.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>102. Interviewing a group of young Pelicans.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<div id='i_103'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_199'>199</span>
+<img src='images/i_103.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>103. Among the Pelicans.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>The old birds, in the meantime, were resting on
+the water. They might have been unpleasant foes,
+but in their stately, dignified way they accepted the
+situation, and waited in silence for us to retire.
+Then they at once returned to their nests, and in a
+short time comparative quiet was restored on the
+island.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>This is a sketch of life in the Pelicans’ metropolis
+as one sees it during a brief visit, and all the
+accounts of the island I have seen were based on
+just such an experience. Consequently, I shall
+relate here what was learned of the Pelicans and
+their home during four days passed with them.</p>
+
+<div id='i_104'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_200'>200</span>
+<img src='images/i_104.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>104. Head and pouch of Brown Pelican. From a fresh specimen.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>During no hour of the twenty-four did silence
+reign on Pelican Island; if I went on deck at midnight,
+the notes of some complaining or pugnacious
+young Pelicans, who in their sleep had
+come into too close quarters, were sure to be
+heard. But the Pelicans’ day began at early dawn,
+when I could distinguish the diagonal files of
+from two to a dozen birds solemnly and silently
+starting out for the fishing grounds. One might
+think that, like a boat’s crew, their strokes were
+controlled by a coxswain, as in perfect unison
+they all flapped their broad wings for about ten
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_201'>201</span>beats, and then spread them and sailed for as many
+seconds.</p>
+
+<div id='i_105'  class='figright id004'>
+<img src='images/i_105.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>105. Same as No. 104, seen from above, to show extent to which sides of the lower bill are spread.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>Generally they headed for the ocean, there to
+follow the line of the beach, sometimes high in the
+air, at others low over the curling surf, as their
+progress was aided or retarded by the wind. How
+far they went I can not say, but at a point ten miles
+north of Pelican Island
+many have been seen still
+winging their way to the
+northward, doubtless to
+some point where fish
+were abundant. Not
+once during the four
+days passed off Pelican
+Island did I see a Pelican
+fishing over the surrounding
+waters. It was
+not because they were
+lacking in fish, for they
+contained a plentiful supply
+of food; and I could
+explain the unexpected
+abstinence of the birds
+only on the supposition
+that the fish in the immediate
+vicinity of the
+nesting ground were left
+for the early efforts of the
+young birds before they were strong enough of wing
+to accompany their parents to distant fishing grounds.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Brown Pelicans fish at a height of from twenty
+to thirty feet above the water, not hovering, but
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_202'>202</span>flying slowly about, and without a moment’s pause
+plunging on their prey with a force which would
+produce serious results if the bird’s breast were not
+well padded with cellular tissue between the skin
+and the flesh.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>I observed that when the young birds struck at
+me the movement was accompanied by a widening
+or bowing out of the sides of the lower mandible,
+and it is doubtless the same muscular effort which
+turns the pouch of the diving Pelican into a scoop
+net, as it were, with an elliptical ring.<sup><a href='#i_105'>105</a></sup></p>
+
+<p class='c008'>By sunrise most of the fishers appeared to have
+departed, and at this time, whether because of the
+absence of so many of the adults or because it was
+their breakfast hour, a swarm of Fish Crows came
+from the mainland, apparently from both sides of
+the river, seeking what they might devour in the
+way of eggs or young Pelicans, and departing after
+several hours’ feasting.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>About eight o’clock the fishers began to appear,
+coming, as they went, in dignified lines, which broke
+up as they reached the island, each bird going to its
+young. Then the outcry began, and the ensuing two
+hours were the noisiest of the day.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Pelicans are so well able to supply the wants of
+their families that, unlike smaller birds who bring
+to their ever-hungry broods only a mouthful at a
+time, they are not forced to feed their young at short
+intervals throughout the day, but the morning meal
+concluded, they do not again have to provide for
+their nestlings until afternoon. Immediately after
+breakfast, therefore, the parent birds went out
+into the bay to bathe, and the flapping of their
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_203'>203</span>wings as they dashed the water over themselves
+could be heard at a great distance. The bath
+concluded, the birds gathered in rows on the sand
+bars jutting out from the island, to vigorously
+preen their feathers, and doze in the sun; and then,
+at irregular intervals, bird after bird, prompted apparently
+purely by a love of exercise, or tempted
+by a possible resulting exhilaration, mounted
+slowly into the air until they had attained a great
+height, when, spreading their wings, they sailed
+majestically about on broad circles for hours at
+a time. I was at first inclined to connect this
+habit with the season of courtship, but observing
+several birds of the year, who had but recently
+learned to fly, join their elders, I came to the conclusion
+that the habit had no sexual significance,
+and was indulged in solely because the birds enjoyed
+it.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>In the afternoon the fishing parties again started
+out, and after the resulting catch had been delivered
+to the clamoring young, the Pelican’s day’s work
+was concluded, and he betook himself to his favorite
+roost for the night. At dark a few Cormorants
+returned to the branches of a dead tree, a single
+Frigate, after carefully and repeatedly reconnoitering
+the situation, decided to take lodgings on a
+neighboring stub, and a Pelican Island day was
+ended.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Whether, as in the case of the Terns and Gannets
+previously mentioned, the Pelicans all return to
+their island on a certain day I can not say. Probably,
+however, the short duration of their migratory
+journey, and the fact that they come from both the
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_204'>204</span>north and the south, prevents them from joining
+many other birds <em>en route</em>. However, apparently
+most of the birds are warned at nearly the same
+time by a physiological change that the season has
+come for them to return to their nesting grounds.
+This is evidently in January, since in March a large
+number of the young on the island were found
+almost ready to fly, while some, as has been said,
+were already on the wing. There was, it is true, a
+great variation in the development of the young
+found, and indeed the birds were still laying, but I
+believe that the parents of these later broods had
+been robbed of their eggs by tourists.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>A careful count yielded a total of 845 nests,
+which had evidently been built during the season,
+but only 251 of them were occupied. Most of the
+vacant nests were on the ground, and had been
+deserted by their tenants, who were now running
+about the island.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The 251 occupied nests contained eggs or young,
+as follows:</p>
+
+<table class='table1'>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>55</td>
+    <td class='c016'>nests</td>
+    <td class='c017'>with</td>
+    <td class='c012'>1</td>
+    <td class='c017'>egg</td>
+    <td class='c018'>each;</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>63</td>
+    <td class='c017'>„</td>
+    <td class='c017'>„</td>
+    <td class='c012'>2</td>
+    <td class='c017'>eggs</td>
+    <td class='c019'>„</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>23</td>
+    <td class='c017'>„</td>
+    <td class='c017'>„</td>
+    <td class='c012'>3</td>
+    <td class='c017'>„</td>
+    <td class='c019'>„</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>63</td>
+    <td class='c017'>„</td>
+    <td class='c017'>„</td>
+    <td class='c012'>1</td>
+    <td class='c017'>young</td>
+    <td class='c018'>each;</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>46</td>
+    <td class='c017'>„</td>
+    <td class='c017'>„</td>
+    <td class='c012'>2</td>
+    <td class='c017'>„</td>
+    <td class='c019'>„</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c012'>1</td>
+    <td class='c016'>nest</td>
+    <td class='c017'>„</td>
+    <td class='c012'>3</td>
+    <td class='c017'>„</td>
+    <td class='c019'>„</td>
+  </tr>
+</table>
+
+<p class='c008'>Incubation was found to be well advanced in
+eggs which were alone in their nest, showing either
+that one egg sometimes composes the set, or that the
+other eggs of the set had been destroyed. The fact
+that one nest was found with three young while
+twenty-three were found each containing three eggs,
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_205'>205</span>would indicate a high mortality among the young
+birds; and, indeed, no less than 94 dead young were
+counted. Most of these, however, were birds which
+were old enough to leave the nest, and death was
+doubtless due to the thoughtlessness of tourist visitors,
+who chase the young about until they fall
+from exhaustion, or are driven too far to find their
+way home.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Estimating the number of young birds which
+had left the 594 deserted nests at 891—which would
+be an average of one and a half birds to the nest—and
+adding two parent birds to each nest, we have
+2,581 birds on wing and on foot. But this number is
+to be increased by the 152 young that were still in
+their nests, making the probable total population of
+Pelican Island 2,736. This calculation, however,
+does not take into account the eggs, from which
+almost hourly came new inhabitants of the island;
+and it is with these eggs, or rather with the nest in
+which they are placed, that we may begin a brief
+outline of the young Pelican’s development.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The Pelican, although a low type of bird, is
+altricial, the young, unlike the offspring of Gulls,
+Ducks, or Snipe, being hatched in a helpless condition.
+The nest, therefore, is not only an incubator
+where with heat from the parent bird the eggs are
+hatched, but it is a cradle for the young. Consequently,
+Pelicans’ nests are unusually complicated
+structures as compared with the dwellings of other
+birds equally low in the evolutionary scale.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>There was a very interesting and constant relation
+between the character of the nest and its site,
+ground nests being composed largely or entirely of
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_206'>206</span>long grasses, while those nests which were placed in
+the trees were made of sticks and were lined with
+grasses, the nest proper being erected on a platform
+of larger sticks laid from crotch to crotch in the
+bushes in such a manner as to form a broad, firm
+foundation, though, structurally, it was not a part
+of the nest, which could be lifted without removing
+the platform.</p>
+
+<div id='i_106'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<img src='images/i_106.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>106. Newly hatched Pelicans. Ground nest.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>The difference between the nests of straw<sup><a href='#i_106'>106</a></sup> and
+those of sticks<sup><a href='#i_107'>107</a></sup> were so marked that it seems probable
+their makers regularly selected sites on the
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_207'>207</span>ground or in the trees respectively. Or, assuming
+that the same individuals might build a stick nest
+in the bushes one year and a straw nest on the
+ground the next, we have an unusual variation in
+the character of the nest of the same species. In
+the case of the Fish Hawks of Plumb Island the
+birds evinced an appreciation of the protection
+afforded them by the owner of the island by often
+placing their nests on the ground. Photographs
+of these nests, however, made by Dr. C. S. Allen,
+show that the birds employed as much material
+when nesting on the ground as when nesting in
+trees, the eggs on the ground being surrounded by
+a useless mass of large sticks. Certain of the
+birds, therefore, in response to new conditions, had
+chosen new nesting sites, but had not as yet made
+corresponding changes in the character of their
+nests.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>When the nest is completed, as we have seen,
+from one to three eggs are laid. The period of incubation
+is probably about four weeks, and a careful
+listener may detect the presence of a hatching egg
+by the choking bark which the young Pelican begins
+to utter as soon as he has made an opening in the
+shell which holds him. When he has finally freed
+himself and appears in the world, he is about as
+unattractive a bit of bird life as can well be conceived.<sup><a href='#i_106'>106</a></sup>
+His dark, purple skin is perfectly naked,
+he is blind, and when he is deprived of shade provided
+by the brooding parent, he twists restlessly
+about in the nest, uttering the same choking bark
+with which he first greeted the light.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Even at this early age he displays one of the
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_208'>208</span>strong characteristics of the immature Pelican—a
+pugnacious disposition. Almost before his eyes are
+open he bites at his nest mates for apparently no
+other reason than that they come within reach of
+his bill. Soon his eyes open and within a few days
+a wonderful change begins to take place in his
+appearance.<sup><a href='#i_107'>107</a></sup> Little bunches of white down sprout
+all over his body, and, growing rapidly, transform
+the ugly, purple-black nestling into a snowy creature
+clad in softest down.</p>
+
+<div id='i_107'  class='figcenter id003'>
+<img src='images/i_107.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>107. Young Pelican in tree nest, showing first appearance of white down.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>At the same time he has been growing much
+stronger; he is able to sit up,<sup><a href='#i_108'>108</a></sup> his fighting abilities
+have greatly increased, and his voice, after passing
+through a rasping <em>k-r-r-r-ing</em> stage, has become a
+high, piercing cry very closely resembling the scream
+of a child in extreme pain. Young Pelicans uttering
+this call chiefly made up the chorus one could
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_209'>209</span>hear all day and at intervals during the night on
+Pelican Island.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Pelicans of the same nest never seem to recover
+from the mutual enmity with which they begin life.
+Quarreling is the normal condition of affairs among
+the children of a Pelican family, and as they always
+scream loudest when fighting, one cause for the continuous
+uproar is evident. Another is the question
+of food, and just at this point I may pause a moment
+to describe the manner in which the young Pelicans
+are fed.</p>
+
+<div id='i_108'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<img src='images/i_108.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>108. Young Pelican, downy stage.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>So far as I know, Pelicans live wholly on fish,
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_210'>210</span>and the difference between the fare of a young Pelican
+and that of its parent is in the size of its finny
+food. I have seen fish twelve inches long in the
+throat of an old Pelican, while the pouch of a very
+young bird contained several fishes less than an
+inch in length.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>It is plain to be seen, therefore, that when an old
+Pelican goes fishing for his family he must keep
+constantly in mind the size of his offspring and
+bring home little fish for little birds, larger fish for
+larger ones.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Immediately after the parent returns from its
+fishing expedition, the young cluster about it and
+the outcry begins. But the old one takes it very
+patiently, sitting quite still until ready to open its
+creel, as it were. Then he takes a stand if possible
+a little above the young, drops his lower bill with its
+pouch, when at once the young thrust in their heads
+to secure their morning’s catch. On one occasion I
+saw three half-grown Pelicans with their heads and
+necks entirely out of sight in the parent’s pouch,
+and all were prodding about so vigorously that one
+would have thought it would be damaged past
+mending.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Having been fed, one might suppose that for a
+time peace would reign in the Pelican household;
+but, after emptying their parent’s pouch, the young
+immediately begin to squabble over the contents of
+their own. Here is real cause for war, and they
+grasp each other by the bill and twist and turn like
+athletes in a test of strength, seldom, however, with
+serious results.</p>
+
+<div id='i_109'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_211'>211</span>
+<img src='images/i_109.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>109. Young Pelican, wing quills appearing.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>Returning to our sketch of the young Pelican’s
+growth: shortly after the acquisition of the white
+down, the wing feathers begin to grow. As yet
+the sprouting feathers are useless, but with them
+come strength and courage to leave the nest and to
+clamber about in search of the foes who perhaps
+have been mocking him for days, from their nest on
+an adjoining limb. In spite of his broadly webbed
+toes, he manages to climb about in the bushes with
+more or less ease;<sup><a href='#i_109'>109</a></sup> but in this climbing he is
+greatly aided by his bill. Indeed, if it were not
+for the safety hook made by the bill, head, and
+neck, many a young Pelican would have a premature
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_212'>212</span>tumble. As it is, this hook is often the only
+thing that saves him if he chances to lose his footing;
+catching by the bill and neck he hangs for a
+moment, and then, like a gymnast, hauls himself up
+by the aid of his toes.</p>
+
+<div id='i_110'  class='figcenter id001'>
+<img src='images/i_110.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'>
+<div class='ic001'>
+<p>110. Young Pelicans, stage preceding flight.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'>If the young Pelican’s home is on the ground, at
+this age he waddles about playing by himself or
+fighting all comers. He dabbles in the shallow
+water, filling his pouch with mud and water, bits of
+<span class='pageno' id='Page_213'>213</span>sticks, shells, and weeds; then dropping the point of
+his bill downward so that the mud and water ooze
+out, he carefully examines the remainder, piece by
+piece, as if to see whether it is palatable. Even
+when alone he sometimes loses his temper. I saw
+one evidently much annoyed by the appearance of a
+displaced feather in his wing, and in a vain effort to
+catch it he whirled about like a kitten chasing its
+own tail.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>But the fast-growing wing plumes soon seem to
+be a source of inspiration, rather than of annoyance.
+The young Pelicans feel a new and strange power
+coming to them, and they stand in the nest and aimlessly
+wave their now nearly grown wings, until
+some day an impulse prompts them to spring into
+the air.<sup><a href='#i_110'>110</a></sup> The immediate result is a humiliating
+tumble, for Pelicans, unlike smaller birds, must
+learn to fly. Once on the ground he has a safer
+place to practice, and with a hop, skip, and a flap,
+he makes brave efforts to mount skyward. Finally
+he succeeds, and the awkward nestling becomes a
+creature of power and grace, sailing away on broad
+pinions to join its elders.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>With this wonderful gift of flight comes a complete
+change in the Pelican’s character and behavior.
+From a noisy, quarrelsome fledgeling, whose days
+were passed in screaming and squabbling, he is
+transformed into a dignified, patriarchal-like bird
+so absolutely voiceless that I have never heard a
+wild Pelican utter a sound, nor do I know of any
+one who has; while in disposition he has become so
+peaceful that under the strongest provocation he
+shows no desire to protest.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_214'>214</span>Just what has influenced him—who can say? It
+is one of Nature’s mysteries. But let us hope that
+the same charm may be exerted on every noisy,
+quarrelsome creature.</p>
+
+<div class='chapter'>
+  <span class='pageno' id='Page_215'>215</span>
+  <h2 class='c006'>INDEX</h2>
+</div>
+
+<ul class='index c003'>
+  <li class='c020'>Audubon, J. J., <a href='#Page_155'>155</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Auk, Razorbilled, on Bird Rock, <a href='#Page_167'>167</a>, <a href='#Page_169'>169</a>;
+    <ul>
+      <li>
+        <ul>
+          <li>tameness of, <a href='#Page_170'>170</a>;</li>
+          <li>nesting of, <a href='#Page_176'>176</a>;</li>
+          <li>young of, <a href='#Page_176'>176</a>.</li>
+        </ul>
+      </li>
+      <li>The, <a href='#Page_154'>154</a>.</li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c003'>Bayberries, <a href='#Page_26'>26</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Bird-Lore, <a href='#Page_9'>9</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Bird photography, definition of, <a href='#Page_1'>1</a>;
+    <ul>
+      <li>scientific value of, <a href='#Page_1'>1</a>, <a href='#Page_34'>34</a>;</li>
+      <li>charm of, <a href='#Page_3'>3</a>, <a href='#Page_39'>39</a>;</li>
+      <li>outfit for, <a href='#Page_6'>6</a>;</li>
+      <li>methods of, <a href='#Page_26'>26</a>.</li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c020'>Bird Rock, <a href='#Page_130'>130</a>, <a href='#Page_150'>150</a>, <a href='#Page_152'>152</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Birds, adult, photographing, <a href='#Page_33'>33</a>.
+    <ul>
+      <li>Young, photographing, <a href='#Page_32'>32</a>;
+        <ul>
+          <li>return of, to nesting ground, <a href='#Page_192'>192</a>.</li>
+        </ul>
+      </li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c020'>Bittern, American, <a href='#Page_29'>29</a>, <a href='#Page_70'>70</a>.
+    <ul>
+      <li>Least, haunts of, <a href='#Page_62'>62</a>;
+        <ul>
+          <li>mode of progression of, <a href='#Page_62'>62</a>;</li>
+          <li>notes of, <a href='#Page_63'>63</a>, <a href='#Page_72'>72</a>;</li>
+          <li>nest of, <a href='#Page_65'>65</a>;</li>
+          <li>protective mimicry of, <a href='#Page_67'>67</a>;</li>
+          <li>courage of, <a href='#Page_68'>68</a>;</li>
+          <li>eggs of, destroyed by Marsh Wren, <a href='#Page_72'>72</a>;</li>
+          <li>intelligence of, <a href='#Page_75'>75</a>;</li>
+          <li>eating eggs, <a href='#Page_75'>75</a>.</li>
+        </ul>
+      </li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c020'>Blackbird, Red-winged, <a href='#Page_26'>26</a>, <a href='#Page_69'>69</a>, <a href='#Page_70'>70</a>, <a href='#Page_94'>94</a>, <a href='#Page_194'>194</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Blinds, <a href='#Page_23'>23</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Bobolink, <a href='#Page_95'>95</a>, <a href='#Page_100'>100</a>, <a href='#Page_194'>194</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Bonaventure Island, <a href='#Page_130'>130</a>, <a href='#Page_138'>138</a>, <a href='#Page_139'>139</a>, <a href='#Page_141'>141</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Bourque, Captain Peter, <a href='#Page_164'>164</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Brewster, William, <a href='#Page_63'>63</a>, <a href='#Page_103'>103</a>, <a href='#Page_133'>133</a>, <a href='#Page_160'>160</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Bryant, Dr. Henry, <a href='#Page_159'>159</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Bryon Island, <a href='#Page_152'>152</a>, <a href='#Page_162'>162</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Bulb, <a href='#Page_21'>21</a>, <a href='#Page_22'>22</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c003'>Canadian Government, <a href='#Page_189'>189</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Cartier, Jacques, <a href='#Page_154'>154</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Cape Breton, <a href='#Page_152'>152</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Catbird, <a href='#Page_37'>37</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Cat-tails, <a href='#Page_90'>90</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Camera, uses of, <a href='#Page_1'>1</a>–4;
+    <ul>
+      <li>
+        <ul>
+          <li>kinds of, <a href='#Page_6'>6</a>.</li>
+        </ul>
+      </li>
+      <li>Hand, <a href='#Page_8'>8</a>;
+        <ul>
+          <li>Kearton’s, <a href='#Page_7'>7</a>;</li>
+          <li>long-focus, <a href='#Page_7'>7</a>;</li>
+          <li>reflecting, <a href='#Page_8'>8</a>;</li>
+          <li>twin-lens, <a href='#Page_8'>8</a>;</li>
+          <li>snap-shot, <a href='#Page_8'>8</a>;</li>
+          <li>dummy, <a href='#Page_35'>35</a>;</li>
+          <li>triumph of, <a href='#Page_171'>171</a>.</li>
+        </ul>
+      </li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c020'>Cameras used in Gulf of St. Lawrence, <a href='#Page_133'>133</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Cannon, <a href='#Page_160'>160</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Chickadee, tameness of, <a href='#Page_47'>47</a>;
+    <ul>
+      <li>in Central Park, <a href='#Page_48'>48</a>;</li>
+      <li>photographing, <a href='#Page_49'>49</a>;</li>
+      <li>alighting on hand, <a href='#Page_51'>51</a>;</li>
+      <li>nesting of, <a href='#Page_52'>52</a>;</li>
+      <li>habits of, when nesting, <a href='#Page_53'>53</a>–55;</li>
+      <li>young of, <a href='#Page_57'>57</a>–61.</li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c020'>Chuck-will’s-widow, <a href='#Page_146'>146</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Civilization, effects of, on wild life, <a href='#Page_128'>128</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Clamp, ball-and-socket, <a href='#Page_22'>22</a>, <a href='#Page_24'>24</a>, <a href='#Page_29'>29</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Cliff photography, <a href='#Page_25'>25</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Climbers, <a href='#Page_24'>24</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Codfishing, <a href='#Page_136'>136</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Cormorants, Double-crested, <a href='#Page_132'>132</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Corncrake, <a href='#Page_146'>146</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Cornel, <a href='#Page_142'>142</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Crane, <a href='#Page_85'>85</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Crow, <a href='#Page_65'>65</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c003'>Dalhousie, <a href='#Page_146'>146</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Dark-cloth, <a href='#Page_24'>24</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Deer, <a href='#Page_25'>25</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Dogwood, <a href='#Page_26'>26</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c003'><span class='pageno' id='Page_216'>216</span>Enlargements, photographic, <a href='#Page_7'>7</a>, <a href='#Page_12'>12</a>, <a href='#Page_13'>13</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c003'>Finch, Pine, <a href='#Page_137'>137</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Finders, <a href='#Page_8'>8</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Flash-light, <a href='#Page_25'>25</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Flicker, <a href='#Page_14'>14</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Food, photographing, <a href='#Page_26'>26</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c003'>Galapagos, <a href='#Page_129'>129</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Gallinule, Florida, <a href='#Page_63'>63</a>, <a href='#Page_69'>69</a>–71.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Gannets, on Bonaventure, <a href='#Page_139'>139</a>, <a href='#Page_143'>143</a>–145;
+    <ul>
+      <li>destruction of, by Cartier, <a href='#Page_154'>154</a>;</li>
+      <li>described by Audubon, <a href='#Page_157'>157</a>;</li>
+      <li>killed for bait, <a href='#Page_158'>158</a>;</li>
+      <li>number of, <a href='#Page_159'>159</a>;</li>
+      <li>decrease of, <a href='#Page_160'>160</a>;</li>
+      <li>on Bird Bock, <a href='#Page_171'>171</a>, <a href='#Page_181'>181</a>–183;</li>
+      <li>photographing, <a href='#Page_187'>187</a>;</li>
+      <li>fearlessness of, <a href='#Page_187'>187</a>;</li>
+      <li>manner of feeding, <a href='#Page_187'>187</a>.</li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c020'>Grand Entry, <a href='#Page_147'>147</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Grebe, Pied-billed, <a href='#Page_69'>69</a>, <a href='#Page_70'>70</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Gregory, J. U., <a href='#Page_163'>163</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Grosse Isle, <a href='#Page_147'>147</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Guillemots, <a href='#Page_149'>149</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Gulf of St. Lawrence, Bird Rocks of, <a href='#Page_128'>128</a>, <a href='#Page_129'>129</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Gull, Black-backed, <a href='#Page_147'>147</a>.
+    <ul>
+      <li>Herring, on Percé Rock, <a href='#Page_134'>134</a>;
+        <ul>
+          <li>feeding in fields, <a href='#Page_136'>136</a>;</li>
+          <li>nesting on cliffs, <a href='#Page_137'>137</a>;</li>
+          <li>note of, <a href='#Page_137'>137</a>.</li>
+        </ul>
+      </li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c003'>Hackensack marshes, value of, <a href='#Page_89'>89</a>;
+    <ul>
+      <li>beauty of, <a href='#Page_89'>89</a>;</li>
+      <li>geological history of, <a href='#Page_89'>89</a>;</li>
+      <li>flowers of, <a href='#Page_90'>90</a>, <a href='#Page_92'>92</a>;</li>
+      <li>animal life of, <a href='#Page_93'>93</a>.</li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c020'>Haunts, photographing, <a href='#Page_26'>26</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Hawk, Marsh, <a href='#Page_29'>29</a>–31, <a href='#Page_92'>92</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Hen, Heath, <a href='#Page_109'>109</a>.
+    <ul>
+      <li>Moor, <a href='#Page_70'>70</a>.</li>
+      <li>Water, <a href='#Page_70'>70</a>.</li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c020'>Heron, Great Blue, killing of, <a href='#Page_85'>85</a>;
+    <ul>
+      <li>
+        <ul>
+          <li>wildness of, <a href='#Page_86'>86</a>;</li>
+          <li>rookeries of, <a href='#Page_86'>86</a>;</li>
+          <li>nests of, <a href='#Page_87'>87</a>.</li>
+        </ul>
+      </li>
+      <li>Night, rookery of, <a href='#Page_76'>76</a>;
+        <ul>
+          <li>call of, <a href='#Page_77'>77</a>;</li>
+          <li>protection of, <a href='#Page_77'>77</a>;</li>
+          <li>nests of, <a href='#Page_78'>78</a>;</li>
+          <li>food of, <a href='#Page_78'>78</a>;</li>
+          <li>limy deposits of, killing vegetation, <a href='#Page_78'>78</a>;</li>
+          <li>young of, <a href='#Page_79'>79</a>;</li>
+          <li>death of young of, <a href='#Page_81'>81</a>;</li>
+          <li>feeding by parents, <a href='#Page_81'>81</a>;</li>
+          <li>fall from nest, <a href='#Page_81'>81</a>.</li>
+        </ul>
+      </li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c020'>Home photography, <a href='#Page_40'>40</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Howe, R. II, Jr., <a href='#Page_123'>123</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c003'>Iconoscope, <a href='#Page_8'>8</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Inaccessible Island, <a href='#Page_129'>129</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Iris, <a href='#Page_142'>142</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Islands, preserving influences of, <a href='#Page_108'>108</a>, <a href='#Page_128'>128</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c003'>Jay, Blue, <a href='#Page_42'>42</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Junco, <a href='#Page_42'>42</a>, <a href='#Page_137'>137</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c003'>Kearton brothers, <a href='#Page_7'>7</a>, <a href='#Page_23'>23</a>, <a href='#Page_25'>25</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Kerguelen Island, <a href='#Page_129'>129</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Kittiwake, on Percé Rock, <a href='#Page_133'>133</a>;
+    <ul>
+      <li>calling, <a href='#Page_172'>172</a>;</li>
+      <li>on Bird Rock, <a href='#Page_177'>177</a>;</li>
+      <li>nests and young of, <a href='#Page_177'>177</a>;</li>
+      <li>number of, on Bird Rock, <a href='#Page_183'>183</a>.</li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c003'>Lantern slides, <a href='#Page_7'>7</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Laysan Island, <a href='#Page_129'>129</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Lens, the, <a href='#Page_10'>10</a>.
+    <ul>
+      <li>Tests, <a href='#Page_14'>14</a>–19.</li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c020'>Little Bird Rock, <a href='#Page_153'>153</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Loon, <a href='#Page_70'>70</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Lucas, F. A., <a href='#Page_154'>154</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c003'>Mackay, George II, <a href='#Page_123'>123</a>, <a href='#Page_192'>192</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Magdalen Islands, <a href='#Page_130'>130</a>, <a href='#Page_146'>146</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Marsh Birds, notes of, <a href='#Page_70'>70</a>.
+    <ul>
+      <li>Mallow, <a href='#Page_92'>92</a>, <a href='#Page_93'>93</a>.</li>
+      <li>Mystery of, <a href='#Page_70'>70</a>.</li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c020'>Maryland Yellow-throat, <a href='#Page_29'>29</a>, <a href='#Page_38'>38</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Massachusetts:
+    <ul>
+      <li>Boston, <a href='#Page_42'>42</a>;</li>
+      <li>Cambridge, <a href='#Page_63'>63</a>;</li>
+      <li>Martha’s Vineyard, <a href='#Page_109'>109</a>;</li>
+      <li>Muskeget, <a href='#Page_109'>109</a>;</li>
+      <li>Penikese, <a href='#Page_108'>108</a>, <a href='#Page_122'>122</a>–127;</li>
+      <li>Weepeckets, <a href='#Page_109'>109</a>;</li>
+      <li>Wood’s Holl, <a href='#Page_109'>109</a>.</li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c020'>Maynard, C. J., <a href='#Page_160'>160</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>McKinlay, James, <a href='#Page_146'>146</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Migration, <a href='#Page_27'>27</a>;
+    <ul>
+      <li>speculations on origin of, <a href='#Page_191'>191</a>–195.</li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c020'>Mirror, <a href='#Page_24'>24</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Mount St. Anne, <a href='#Page_137'>137</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'><span class='pageno' id='Page_217'>217</span>Murre, Brünnich’s, <a href='#Page_169'>169</a>;
+    <ul>
+      <li>
+        <ul>
+          <li>number of, on Bird Rock, <a href='#Page_183'>183</a>.</li>
+        </ul>
+      </li>
+      <li>Common, <a href='#Page_169'>169</a>;
+        <ul>
+          <li>number of, on Bird Rock, <a href='#Page_183'>183</a>.</li>
+        </ul>
+      </li>
+      <li>Ringed, <a href='#Page_174'>174</a>.</li>
+      <li>Eggs and young of, destroyed, <a href='#Page_160'>160</a>, <a href='#Page_161'>161</a>;
+        <ul>
+          <li>on Bryon, <a href='#Page_162'>162</a>;</li>
+          <li>on Bird Rock, <a href='#Page_167'>167</a>;</li>
+          <li>tameness of, <a href='#Page_170'>170</a>;</li>
+          <li>eggs of, <a href='#Page_174'>174</a>, <a href='#Page_175'>175</a>;</li>
+          <li>young of, <a href='#Page_175'>175</a>;</li>
+          <li>number of, on Bird Rock, <a href='#Page_182'>182</a>.</li>
+        </ul>
+      </li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c003'>Nests and Eggs, photographing, <a href='#Page_28'>28</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>New Jersey:
+    <ul>
+      <li>Englewood, <a href='#Page_52'>52</a>;</li>
+      <li>Hackensack Marshes, <a href='#Page_89'>89</a>.</li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c020'>New York:
+    <ul>
+      <li>Central Park, <a href='#Page_48'>48</a>;</li>
+      <li>Cayuga County, <a href='#Page_65'>65</a>, <a href='#Page_69'>69</a>, <a href='#Page_86'>86</a>;</li>
+      <li>Great Gull Island, <a href='#Page_108'>108</a>;</li>
+      <li>Long Island, <a href='#Page_107'>107</a>.</li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c020'>Nuthatch, <a href='#Page_42'>42</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c003'>Oölogists, <a href='#Page_65'>65</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Owl, use of, in photographing birds, <a href='#Page_37'>37</a>.
+    <ul>
+      <li>Barred, <a href='#Page_46'>46</a>.</li>
+      <li>Screech, photographing, <a href='#Page_44'>44</a>;
+        <ul>
+          <li>calls of, <a href='#Page_44'>44</a>, <a href='#Page_45'>45</a>;</li>
+          <li>food of, <a href='#Page_45'>45</a>;</li>
+          <li>manner of feeding of, <a href='#Page_45'>45</a>;</li>
+          <li>young of, <a href='#Page_45'>45</a>.</li>
+        </ul>
+      </li>
+      <li>Short-eared, <a href='#Page_49'>49</a>.</li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c003'>Pelican, Brown, <a href='#Page_146'>146</a>;
+    <ul>
+      <li>
+        <ul>
+          <li>returning to Pelican Island, <a href='#Page_192'>192</a>, <a href='#Page_195'>195</a>;</li>
+          <li>persecution of, <a href='#Page_195'>195</a>, <a href='#Page_196'>196</a>;</li>
+          <li>daily habits of, <a href='#Page_197'>197</a>–199, <a href='#Page_202'>202</a>;</li>
+          <li>pugnacity and calls of young of, <a href='#Page_198'>198</a>, <a href='#Page_190'>190</a>;</li>
+          <li>flight of, <a href='#Page_200'>200</a>;</li>
+          <li>manner of fishing of, <a href='#Page_201'>201</a>;</li>
+          <li>pouch of, <a href='#Page_201'>201</a>;</li>
+          <li>number of, on Pelican Island, <a href='#Page_204'>204</a>, <a href='#Page_205'>205</a>;</li>
+          <li>nesting of, <a href='#Page_205'>205</a>–207;</li>
+          <li>development and habits of young of, <a href='#Page_207'>207</a>–213;</li>
+          <li>feeding of, <a href='#Page_210'>210</a>;</li>
+          <li>voicelessness of adult of, <a href='#Page_213'>213</a>.</li>
+        </ul>
+      </li>
+      <li>Island, <a href='#Page_191'>191</a>–214.</li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c020'>Pennsylvania: Presque Isle, <a href='#Page_64'>64</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Percé, isolation of, <a href='#Page_130'>130</a>;
+    <ul>
+      <li>
+        <ul>
+          <li>charm of, <a href='#Page_135'>135</a>.</li>
+        </ul>
+      </li>
+      <li>Rock, <a href='#Page_130'>130</a>;
+        <ul>
+          <li>size of, <a href='#Page_132'>132</a>;</li>
+          <li>birds of, <a href='#Page_132'>132</a>, <a href='#Page_133'>133</a>, <a href='#Page_135'>135</a>.</li>
+        </ul>
+      </li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c020'>Petrel, Leach’s, on Bird Rock, <a href='#Page_179'>179</a>;
+    <ul>
+      <li>nesting of, <a href='#Page_180'>180</a>;</li>
+      <li>young of, <a href='#Page_181'>181</a>;</li>
+      <li>call of, <a href='#Page_185'>185</a>;</li>
+      <li>habits of, at night, <a href='#Page_185'>185</a>.</li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c020'>Pictou, <a href='#Page_146'>146</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Plates, photographic, <a href='#Page_22'>22</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Puffins, on Bryon, <a href='#Page_162'>162</a>;
+    <ul>
+      <li>on Bird Rock, <a href='#Page_169'>169</a>, <a href='#Page_170'>170</a>;</li>
+      <li>nesting, <a href='#Page_177'>177</a>;</li>
+      <li>ferocity of, <a href='#Page_178'>178</a>;</li>
+      <li>appearance of, <a href='#Page_179'>179</a>;</li>
+      <li>number of, on Bird Rock, <a href='#Page_182'>182</a>.</li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c003'>Raven, <a href='#Page_137'>137</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Rail, Clapper, <a href='#Page_70'>70</a>.
+    <ul>
+      <li>Sora, <a href='#Page_95'>95</a>, <a href='#Page_100'>100</a>.</li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c020'>Razorbills, on Bird Rock, <a href='#Page_167'>167</a>, <a href='#Page_169'>169</a>;
+    <ul>
+      <li>tameness of, <a href='#Page_170'>170</a>;</li>
+      <li>nesting of, <a href='#Page_176'>176</a>;</li>
+      <li>young of, <a href='#Page_176'>176</a>;</li>
+      <li>number of, on Bird Rock, <a href='#Page_183'>183</a>.</li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c020'>Red Cedar, <a href='#Page_26'>26</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Reedbird, <a href='#Page_26'>26</a>, <a href='#Page_95'>95</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Robin, <a href='#Page_22'>22</a>, <a href='#Page_191'>191</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Rowley, John, <a href='#Page_9'>9</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c003'>Sable Island, <a href='#Page_191'>191</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Screen for nest photography, <a href='#Page_31'>31</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Seasons, photographing, <a href='#Page_27'>27</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Shelbourne, W. E., <a href='#Page_149'>149</a>, <a href='#Page_173'>173</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Shiras, G. A., <a href='#Page_25'>25</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Shutter, curtain, <a href='#Page_9'>9</a>;
+    <ul>
+      <li>focal-plane, <a href='#Page_9'>9</a>, <a href='#Page_20'>20</a>;</li>
+      <li>iris, <a href='#Page_19'>19</a>;</li>
+      <li>unicum, <a href='#Page_15'>15</a>, <a href='#Page_20'>20</a>.</li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c020'>Snow, photographing after, <a href='#Page_41'>41</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Sparrow, Fox, <a href='#Page_149'>149</a>.
+    <ul>
+      <li>House, photographing, <a href='#Page_40'>40</a>, <a href='#Page_43'>43</a>;
+        <ul>
+          <li>notes of, <a href='#Page_41'>41</a>;</li>
+          <li>intelligence of, <a href='#Page_40'>40</a>, <a href='#Page_43'>43</a>.</li>
+        </ul>
+      </li>
+      <li>Ipswich, <a href='#Page_191'>191</a>.</li>
+      <li>Savanna, <a href='#Page_137'>137</a>.</li>
+      <li>Swamp, <a href='#Page_95'>95</a>, <a href='#Page_100'>100</a>.</li>
+      <li>White-throated, <a href='#Page_137'>137</a>, <a href='#Page_142'>142</a>.</li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c020'>Swallow, Bank, <a href='#Page_96'>96</a>.
+    <ul>
+      <li>Barn, <a href='#Page_96'>96</a>.</li>
+      <li>Eave, <a href='#Page_96'>96</a>.</li>
+      <li>Rough-winged, <a href='#Page_96'>96</a>.</li>
+      <li>Tree, nesting site of, <a href='#Page_29'>29</a>;
+        <ul>
+          <li>range of, <a href='#Page_96'>96</a>;</li>
+          <li>in Hackensack marshes, <a href='#Page_96'>96</a>;</li>
+          <li>roosting habits of, <a href='#Page_96'>96</a>;</li>
+          <li>evening and morning flights of, <a href='#Page_97'>97</a>–101;</li>
+          <li><span class='pageno' id='Page_218'>218</span>bathing in trees, <a href='#Page_101'>101</a>;</li>
+          <li>exhibiting procreative and nesting habits prematurely, <a href='#Page_103'>103</a>;</li>
+          <li>migration of, <a href='#Page_104'>104</a>.</li>
+        </ul>
+      </li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c003'>Tabor, E. G., <a href='#Page_65'>65</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Taker, Captain Hubbard, <a href='#Page_151'>151</a>, <a href='#Page_163'>163</a>, <a href='#Page_186'>186</a>, <a href='#Page_189'>189</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Telephoto, <a href='#Page_12'>12</a>, <a href='#Page_17'>17</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Tern, Arctic, <a href='#Page_111'>111</a>.
+    <ul>
+      <li>Common, <a href='#Page_109'>109</a>;
+        <ul>
+          <li>nesting of, <a href='#Page_110'>110</a>, <a href='#Page_112'>112</a>;</li>
+          <li>action of colony of, <a href='#Page_111'>111</a>;</li>
+          <li>notes of, <a href='#Page_111'>111</a>, <a href='#Page_117'>117</a>;</li>
+          <li>bravery of, <a href='#Page_111'>111</a>;</li>
+          <li>young of, <a href='#Page_112'>112</a>–114, <a href='#Page_118'>118</a>, <a href='#Page_122'>122</a>, <a href='#Page_125'>125</a>;</li>
+          <li>returning to nest, <a href='#Page_115'>115</a>;</li>
+          <li>photographing, <a href='#Page_116'>116</a>, <a href='#Page_117'>117</a>;</li>
+          <li>hearing of, <a href='#Page_120'>120</a>;</li>
+          <li>on sheep, <a href='#Page_123'>123</a>.</li>
+        </ul>
+      </li>
+      <li>Roseate, on Weepeckets, <a href='#Page_109'>109</a>, <a href='#Page_110'>110</a>;
+        <ul>
+          <li>note of, <a href='#Page_111'>111</a>;</li>
+          <li>on Penikese, <a href='#Page_123'>123</a>.</li>
+        </ul>
+      </li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c020'>Terns, uses of, <a href='#Page_106'>106</a>;
+    <ul>
+      <li>grace and beauty of, <a href='#Page_106'>106</a>;</li>
+      <li>destruction of, <a href='#Page_107'>107</a>;</li>
+      <li>on islands, <a href='#Page_108'>108</a>;</li>
+      <li>protection of, <a href='#Page_108'>108</a>, <a href='#Page_127'>127</a>.</li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c020'>Thrush, Wood, <a href='#Page_39'>39</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Towhee, <a href='#Page_38'>38</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Tree trunk, artificial, <a href='#Page_23'>23</a>, <a href='#Page_36'>36</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Tripod, <a href='#Page_22'>22</a>, <a href='#Page_28'>28</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Tubing, <a href='#Page_22'>22</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Twin-flower, <a href='#Page_142'>142</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c003'>Vireo, Red-eyed, <a href='#Page_39'>39</a>.
+    <ul>
+      <li>White-eyed, <a href='#Page_39'>39</a>.</li>
+      <li>Yellow-throated, <a href='#Page_39'>39</a>.</li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c020'>Virginia: Cobb’s Island, <a href='#Page_107'>107</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c003'>Warbler, Blue-winged, <a href='#Page_38'>38</a>.
+    <ul>
+      <li>Chestnut-sided, <a href='#Page_38'>38</a>.</li>
+    </ul>
+  </li>
+  <li class='c020'>Wild cherry, <a href='#Page_26'>26</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Wild rice, <a href='#Page_92'>92</a>, <a href='#Page_94'>94</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Winter, feeding birds in, <a href='#Page_42'>42</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Woodcock, <a href='#Page_26'>26</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Woodpecker, Downy, <a href='#Page_42'>42</a>.</li>
+  <li class='c020'>Wren, Long-billed Marsh, <a href='#Page_69'>69</a>, <a href='#Page_72'>72</a>, <a href='#Page_94'>94</a>.</li>
+</ul>
+
+<div class='nf-center-c0'>
+<div class='nf-center c003'>
+    <div>THE END</div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+
+<div class='pbb'>
+ <hr class='pb c004'>
+</div>
+
+<div class='nf-center-c0'>
+<div class='nf-center c001'>
+    <div><span class='xlarge'>By FRANK M. CHAPMAN.</span></div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c021'><strong>Bird Studies with a Camera. With Introductory Chapters
+on the Outfit and Methods of the Bird Photographer.</strong>
+By <span class='sc'>Frank M. Chapman</span>, Assistant Curator of Vertebrate
+Zoölogy in the American Museum of Natural History;
+Author of “Handbook of Birds of Eastern North America”
+and “Bird-Life.” Illustrated with over 100 Photographs
+from Nature by the Author. 12mo. Cloth, $1.75.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Bird students and photographers will find that this book possesses for
+them a unique interest and value. It contains fascinating accounts of
+the habits of some of our common birds and descriptions of the largest
+bird colonies existing in eastern North America; while its author’s phenomenal
+success in photographing birds in Nature not only lends to the
+illustrations the charm of realism, but makes the book a record of
+surprising achievements with the camera. The book is practical as well
+as descriptive, and in the opening chapters the questions of camera,
+lens, plates, blinds, decoys, and other pertinent matters are fully discussed,
+making the work an admirable guide for the camera hunter.</p>
+
+<p class='c022'><strong>Bird-Life. A Guide to the Study of our Common Birds.</strong>
+With 75 full-page Plates and numerous Text Drawings
+by Ernest Seton-Thompson. <span class='sc'>Library Edition</span>, 12mo,
+cloth, $1.75; <span class='sc'>Teachers’ Edition</span>, same as Library Edition,
+but containing an Appendix, with new matter designed
+for the use of teachers, and including lists of birds
+for each month of the year, 12mo, cloth, $2.00. Edition
+with 75 Colored Lithographic Plates, 8vo, cloth, $5.00.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>TEACHERS’ MANUAL. To accompany Portfolios of <span class='sc'>Colored
+Plates</span> of “Bird-Life.” Contains the same text as the Teachers’ Edition
+of “Bird-Life,” but is without the 75 uncolored plates. Sold only with
+the Portfolios, as follows: <em>Portfolio No. I.</em> Permanent Residents and
+Winter Visitants. 32 plates. <em>Portfolio No. II.</em> March and April
+Migrants. 24 plates. <em>Portfolio No. III.</em> May Migrants, Types of
+Birds’ Eggs, and 9 half-tone plates showing Types of Birds’ Nests.
+34 Plates. Price of Portfolios, each, $1.25; with the <span class='sc'>Manual</span>, $2.00;
+the three Portfolios, with the <span class='sc'>Manual</span>, $4.00.</p>
+
+<p class='c022'><strong>Handbook of Birds of Eastern North America.</strong>
+With Keys to the Species, Descriptions of their Plumages,
+Nests, etc., and their Distribution and Migrations.
+With over 200 Illustrations. 12mo. <span class='sc'>Library Edition</span>,
+$3.00; <span class='sc'>Pocket Edition</span>, flexible covers, $3.50.</p>
+
+<div class='nf-center-c0'>
+<div class='nf-center c001'>
+    <div><span class='xlarge'>D. APPLETON AND COMPANY’S PUBLICATIONS.</span></div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c021'><cite>FAMILIAR LIFE IN FIELD AND FOREST.</cite>
+By <span class='sc'>F. Schuyler Mathews</span>. Uniform with “Familiar Flowers,”
+“Familiar Trees,” and “Familiar Features of the Roadside.”
+With many Illustrations. 12mo. Cloth, $1.75.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>The great popularity of Mr. F. Schuyler Mathews’s charmingly illustrated
+books upon flowers, trees, and roadside life insures a cordial reception for
+his forthcoming book, which describes the animals, reptiles, insects, and
+birds commonly met with in the country. His book will be found a most
+convenient and interesting guide to an acquaintance with common wild
+creatures.</p>
+
+<p class='c022'><cite>FAMILIAR FEATURES OF THE ROADSIDE.</cite>
+By <span class='sc'>F. Schuyler Mathews</span>, author of “Familiar Flowers of
+Field and Garden,” “Familiar Trees and their Leaves,” etc.
+With 130 Illustrations by the Author. 12mo. Cloth, $1.75.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>“Which one of us, whether afoot, awheel, on horseback, or in comfortable carriage,
+has not whiled away the time by glancing about? How many of us, however, have
+taken in the details of what charms us? We see the flowering fields and budding woods,
+listen to the notes of birds and frogs, the hum of some big bumblebee, but how much do
+we know of what we sense? These questions, these doubts have occurred to all of us,
+and it is to answer them that Mr. Mathews sets forth. It is to his credit that he succeeds
+so well. He puts before us in chronological order the flowers, birds, and beasts
+we meet on our highway and byway travels, tells us how to recognize them, what they
+are really like, and gives us at once charming drawings in words and lines, for Mr.
+Mathews is his own illustrator.”—<cite>Boston Journal.</cite></p>
+
+<p class='c022'><cite>FAMILIAR TREES AND THEIR LEAVES.</cite>
+By <span class='sc'>F. Schuyler Mathews</span>, author of “Familiar Flowers of
+Field and Garden,” “The Beautiful Flower Garden,” etc.
+Illustrated with over 200 Drawings from Nature by the Author,
+and giving the botanical names and habitat of each tree
+and recording the precise character and coloring of its leafage.
+12mo. Cloth, $1.75.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>“It is not often that we find a book which deserves such unreserved commendation.
+It is commendable for several reasons: it is a book that has been needed for a
+long time, it is written in a popular and attractive style, it is accurately and profusely
+illustrated, and it is by an authority on the subject of which it treats.”—<cite>Public Opinion.</cite></p>
+
+<p class='c022'><cite>FAMILIAR FLOWERS OF FIELD AND
+GARDEN.</cite> By <span class='sc'>F. Schuyler Mathews</span>. Illustrated with
+200 Drawings by the Author. 12mo. Library Edition, cloth,
+$1.75; Pocket Edition, flexible morocco, $2.25.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>“A book of much value and interest, admirably arranged for the student and the
+lover of flowers.... The text is full of compact information, well selected and interestingly
+presented.... It seems to us to be a most attractive handbook of its kind.”—<cite>New
+York Sun.</cite></p>
+
+<p class='c022'><cite>THE ART OF TAXIDERMY.</cite> By <span class='sc'>John Rowley</span>,
+Chief of the Department of Taxidermy in the American
+Museum of Natural History. Illustrated. 12mo. Cloth, $2.00.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>Mr. Rowley has introduced new features into the art which have not been described
+in print before, and his book represents the latest advances in taxidermy as an art and
+as a science. He takes a hunting party to the Canadian woods in his opening chapter,
+and gives a series of vivid pictures of actual field work. This is followed by a series of
+careful explanations of the proper treatment of animals, large and small, of birds, and
+heads. The many lovers of outdoor sport who are interested as amateurs in the various
+phases of taxidermy will find their requirements fully met, while to professional taxidermists
+this important and comprehensive work will be indispensable. It is elaborately
+illustrated.</p>
+
+<p class='c022'><cite>INSECT LIFE.</cite> By <span class='sc'>John Henry Comstock</span>, Professor
+of Entomology in Cornell University. With Illustrations
+by Anna Botsford Comstock, member of the Society of
+American Wood Engravers. 12mo. Library Edition, cloth,
+$2.50; Teachers’ and Students’ Edition, $1.50.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>“Any one who will go through the work with fidelity will be rewarded by a
+knowledge of insect life which will be of pleasure and benefit to him at all seasons, and
+will give an increased charm to the days or weeks spent each summer outside of the
+great cities. It is the best book of its class which has yet appeared.”—<cite>New York
+Mail and Express.</cite></p>
+
+<p class='c008'>“The arrangement of the lessons and experiments and the advice on collection and
+manipulation are only some of the very admirable features of a work that must take
+first place in the class to which it belongs.”—<cite>Philadelphia Press.</cite></p>
+
+<p class='c008'>“The volume is admirably written, and the simple and lucid style is a constant delight....
+It is sure to serve an excellent purpose in the direction of popular culture,
+and the love of natural science which it will develop in youthful minds can hardly fail
+to bear rich fruit.”—<cite>Boston Beacon.</cite></p>
+
+<p class='c022'><cite>OUTLINES OF THE EARTH’S HISTORY.</cite>
+By Prof. <span class='sc'>N. S. Shaler</span>, of Harvard University. Illustrated.
+12mo. Cloth, $1.75.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'>“Any one who reads the preliminary chapters will not stop until he has read the
+entire book. The subject is certainly one of supreme interest, and it would be hard to
+find any one more competent to write about it than Professor Shaler.”—<cite>New York
+Herald.</cite></p>
+
+<p class='c008'>“Professor Shaler fortunately possesses a popular style, and what he writes on a
+scientific topic is entertaining as well as instructive. This book is illustrated with a
+number of splendid full-page cuts, which admirably illuminate the work.”—<cite>Boston
+Globe.</cite></p>
+
+<p class='c008'>“Professor Shaler, of Harvard, in the well-worded text and the handsome illustrations,
+presents an interesting and instructive volume to the students of physiography.
+It is a simple study of the earth’s history, revealing Nature’s processes and its continuous
+and increasing, unceasing energies. It is well calculated to arouse an interest in
+geological study, as it furnishes the key to unlock some of the great mysteries the student
+meets in this broad field of science.... He explains many curious phenomena.
+The work is very free from technicalities, and is so plainly told as to be easily understood
+by every intellectual reader.”—<cite>Chicago Inter-Ocean.</cite></p>
+
+<div class='nf-center-c0'>
+<div class='nf-center c001'>
+    <div><span class='xlarge'>APPLETONS’ HOME-READING BOOKS.</span></div>
+    <div class='c003'>Edited by W. T. HARRIS, A. M., LL. D., U. S. Commissioner of Education.</div>
+    <div class='c003'>CLASSED IN FOUR DIVISIONS, AS FOLLOWS:</div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='sc'>The First</span> comprises natural history, including popular treatises on plants and animals,
+and also descriptions of geographical localities, all of which pertain to the study
+of geography in the common schools. Descriptive astronomy, and anything that relates
+to organic Nature, comes under this head.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='sc'>The Second</span> includes whatever relates to natural philosophy, statics, dynamics,
+properties of matter, and chemistry, organic and inorganic.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='sc'>The Third</span> covers history, biography, ethnology, ethics, civics, and all that relates
+to the lives of individuals or of nations.</p>
+
+<p class='c008'><span class='sc'>The Fourth</span>, works of general literature that portray human nature in the form
+of feelings, emotions, and the various expressions of art and music.</p>
+
+<table class='table1'>
+  <tr>
+    <th class='c009'></th>
+    <th class='c010'><em>Net.</em></th>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>&#160;</td>
+    <td class='c010'>&#160;</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>The Story of the Birds. <span class='sc'>J. N. Baskett</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'>$0.65</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>The Story of the Fishes. <span class='sc'>J. N. Baskett</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'>.75</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>The Plant World. <span class='sc'>Frank Vincent</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'>.60</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>The Animal World. <span class='sc'>Frank Vincent</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'>.60</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>The Insect World. <span class='sc'>C. M. Weed</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'>.60</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>The Story of Oliver Twist. <span class='sc'>Ella B. Kirk</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'>.60</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>The Story of Rob Roy. <span class='sc'>Edith T. Harris</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'>.60</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>In Brook and Bayou. <span class='sc'>Clara Kern Bayliss</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'>.60</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>Curious Homes and their Tenants. <span class='sc'>James Carter Beard</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'>.65</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>Crusoe’s Island. <span class='sc'>F. A. Ober</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'>.65</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>Uncle Sam’s Secrets. <span class='sc'>O. P. Austin</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'>.75</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>The Hall of Shells. Mrs. <span class='sc'>A. S. Hardy</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'>.60</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>&#160;</td>
+    <td class='c010'>&#160;</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>Nature Study Readers. <span class='sc'>J. W. Troeger.</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'>&#160;</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>&#8196;&#8196;Harold’s First Discoveries. Book I</td>
+    <td class='c010'>.25</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>&#8196;&#8196;Harold’s Rambles. Book II</td>
+    <td class='c010'>.40</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>&#8196;&#8196;Harold’s Quests. Book III</td>
+    <td class='c010'>.50</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>&#8196;&#8196;Harold’s Explorations. Book IV</td>
+    <td class='c010'>&#160;</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>&#8196;&#8196;Harold’s Discussions. Book V</td>
+    <td class='c010'>&#160;</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>&#160;</td>
+    <td class='c010'>&#160;</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>Uncle Robert’s Geography. <span class='sc'>Francis W. Parker</span> and <span class='sc'>Nellie L. Helm</span>. &#8196;&#8196;Playtime and Seedtime. Book I</td>
+    <td class='c010'>.32</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>&#8196;&#8196;On the Farm. Book II</td>
+    <td class='c010'>.42</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>&#8196;&#8196;Uncle Robert’s Visit. Book III</td>
+    <td class='c010'>.50</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>&#8196;&#8196;Rivers and Winds. Book IV</td>
+    <td class='c010'>&#160;</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>&#8196;&#8196;Mountain, Plain, and Desert. Book V</td>
+    <td class='c010'>&#160;</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>&#8196;&#8196;Our Own Continent. Book VI</td>
+    <td class='c010'>&#160;</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>&#160;</td>
+    <td class='c010'>&#160;</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>News from the Birds. <span class='sc'>Leander S. Keyser</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'>.60</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>Historic Boston and its Neighborhood. <span class='sc'>Edward Everett Hale</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'>.50</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>The Earth and Sky. <span class='sc'>Edward S. Holden</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'>.28</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>The Family of the Sun. <span class='sc'>Edward S. Holden</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'>.50</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>Stories of the Great Astronomers. <span class='sc'>Edward S. Holden</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'>.75</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>About the Weather. <span class='sc'>Mark W. Harrington</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'>.65</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>Stories from the Arabian Nights. <span class='sc'>Adam Singleton</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'>.65</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>Our Country’s Flag and the Flags of Foreign Countries. <span class='sc'>Edward S. Holden</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'>.80</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>Our Navy in Time of War. <span class='sc'>Franklin Matthews</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'>.75</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>The Chronicles of Sir John Froissart. <span class='sc'>Adam Singleton</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'>.65</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>The Storied West Indies. <span class='sc'>F. A. Ober</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'>.75</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class='c009'>Uncle Sam’s Soldiers. <span class='sc'>O. P. Austin</span></td>
+    <td class='c010'>.75</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr><td class='c011' colspan='2'><em>Others in preparation.</em></td></tr>
+</table>
+
+<div class='nf-center-c0'>
+<div class='nf-center c001'>
+    <div><span class='xlarge'>THE LIBRARY OF USEFUL STORIES.</span></div>
+    <div class='c004'>Illustrated. 16mo. Cloth, 40 cents per volume.</div>
+    <div class='c003'><em>NOW READY.</em></div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+
+<div class='lg-container-b'>
+  <div class='linegroup'>
+    <div class='group'>
+      <div class='line'><strong>The Story of the Alphabet.</strong> By <span class='sc'>Edward Clodd</span>.</div>
+      <div class='line'><strong>The Story of Eclipses.</strong> By <span class='sc'>G. F. Chambers</span>.</div>
+      <div class='line'><strong>The Story of the Living Machine.</strong> By <span class='sc'>H. W. Conn</span>.</div>
+      <div class='line'><strong>The Story of the British Race.</strong> By <span class='sc'>John Munro</span>, C. E.</div>
+      <div class='line'><strong>The Story of Geographical Discovery.</strong> By <span class='sc'>Joseph Jacobs</span>.</div>
+      <div class='line'><strong>The Story of the Cotton Plant.</strong> By <span class='sc'>F. Wilkinson</span>, F.G.S.</div>
+      <div class='line'><strong>The Story of the Mind.</strong> By Prof. <span class='sc'>J. Mark Baldwin</span>.</div>
+      <div class='line'><strong>The Story of Photography.</strong> By <span class='sc'>Alfred T. Story</span>.</div>
+      <div class='line'><strong>The Story of Life in the Seas.</strong> By <span class='sc'>Sidney J. Hickson</span>.</div>
+      <div class='line'><strong>The Story of Germ Life.</strong> By Prof. <span class='sc'>H. W. Conn</span>.</div>
+      <div class='line'><strong>The Story of the Earth’s Atmosphere.</strong> By <span class='sc'>Douglas Archibald</span>.</div>
+      <div class='line'><strong>The Story of Extinct Civilizations of the East.</strong> By <span class='sc'>Robert Anderson</span>, M. A., F. A. S.</div>
+      <div class='line'><strong>The Story of Electricity.</strong> By <span class='sc'>John Munro</span>, C. E.</div>
+      <div class='line'><strong>The Story of a Piece of Coal.</strong> By <span class='sc'>E. A. Martin</span>, F.G.S.</div>
+      <div class='line'><strong>The Story of the Solar System.</strong> By <span class='sc'>C. F. Chambers</span>, F. R. A. S.</div>
+      <div class='line'><strong>The Story of the Earth.</strong> By <span class='sc'>H. G. Seeley</span>, F.R.S.</div>
+      <div class='line'><strong>The Story of the Plants.</strong> By <span class='sc'>Grant Allen</span>.</div>
+      <div class='line'><strong>The Story of “Primitive” Man.</strong> By <span class='sc'>Edward Clodd</span>.</div>
+      <div class='line'><strong>The Story of the Stars.</strong> By <span class='sc'>G. F. Chambers</span>, F. R. A. S.</div>
+    </div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+
+<div class='nf-center-c0'>
+  <div class='nf-center'>
+    <div>OTHERS IN PREPARATION.</div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+
+<div class='nf-center-c1'>
+<div class='nf-center c001'>
+    <div><span class='xlarge'>THE CONCISE KNOWLEDGE LIBRARY</span></div>
+    <div class='c003'>Each, small 8vo, half leather, $2.00.</div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c023'><strong>The History of the World</strong>,</p>
+
+<p class='c000'>From the Earliest Historical Time to the Year 1898. By
+<span class='sc'>Edgar Sanderson</span>, M. A., author of “A History of the British
+Empire,” etc.</p>
+
+<p class='c023'><strong>The Historical Reference-Book.</strong></p>
+
+<p class='c000'>Comprising a Chronological Table of Universal History, a
+Chronological Dictionary of Universal History, and a Biographical
+Dictionary. With Geographical Notes. For the use of
+Students, Teachers, and Readers. By <span class='sc'>Louis Heilprin</span>. Fifth
+edition, revised to 1898.</p>
+
+<p class='c023'><strong>Natural History.</strong></p>
+
+<p class='c000'>By <span class='sc'>R. Lydekker</span>, B. A.; <span class='sc'>W. F. Kirby</span>, F. L. S.; <span class='sc'>B. B. Woodward</span>,
+F. L. S.; <span class='sc'>R. Kirkpatrick</span>; <span class='sc'>R. I. Pocock</span>; <span class='sc'>R. Bowdler
+Sharpe</span>, LL. D.; <span class='sc'>W. Garstang</span>, M. A.; <span class='sc'>F. A. Bather</span>, M. A.,
+and <span class='sc'>H. M. Bernard</span>, M. A. Nearly 800 pages, and 500
+Illustrations drawn especially for this work.</p>
+
+<p class='c023'><strong>Astronomy.</strong></p>
+
+<p class='c000'>Fully illustrated. By <span class='sc'>Agnes M. Clerke</span>, <span class='sc'>A. Fowler</span>, F. R. A. S.,
+Demonstrator of Astronomical Physics of the Royal College of
+Science, and <span class='sc'>J. Ellard Gore</span>, F. R. A. S.</p>
+
+<div class='nf-center-c0'>
+<div class='nf-center c001'>
+    <div><span class='xlarge'>ALASKA AND THE KLONDIKE.</span></div>
+    <div class='c003'>BY ANGELO HEILPRIN.</div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+
+<p class='c024'><cite>A Journey to the New Eldorado.</cite> With Hints to the Traveler
+and Observations on the Physical History and Geology of the
+Gold Regions, the Condition of and Methods of Working the
+Klondike Placers, and the Laws Governing and Regulating Mining
+in the Northwest Territory of Canada. By <span class='sc'>Angelo Heilprin</span>,
+Professor of Geology at the Academy of Natural Sciences
+of Philadelphia, Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society of London,
+Past-President of the Geographical Society of Philadelphia,
+etc. Fully illustrated from Photographs and with a new Map of
+the Gold Regions. 12mo. Cloth, $1.75.</p>
+
+<p class='c025'>“Will take and retain immediate rank as a contribution of essential value
+not only to the literature of travel, but to that of American commercial and
+political development.... Should be in the hands of every person interested
+either in fact or in prospect in Alaska and the Klondike.”—<cite>Brooklyn Standard-Union.</cite></p>
+
+<p class='c026'>“For the first time the new gold fields of the North have been dealt with
+by a scientific man capable of weighing evidence.”—<cite>Chicago Evening Post.</cite></p>
+
+<p class='c026'>“Presents for the first time a plain, straightforward story of what he saw,
+how he saw it, the men and things he met, what the hardships were and how
+he overcame them. The book is fully illustrated. It is replete with valuable
+hints and instruction, and students of the gold problem in Alaska ought to appreciate
+it. The entire subject has been developed with extreme care and great
+thoroughness.”—<cite>Boston Globe.</cite></p>
+
+<p class='c026'>“It is among the practical books, everywhere bearing evidence of its reliability.
+The story of the journey is told with enough of personal incidents and
+accidents of travel to make every page interesting to the general reader, and it
+will be found of practical value to those intending to make the hard journey.”—<cite>Chicago
+Inter-Ocean.</cite></p>
+
+<p class='c026'>“Mr. Heilprin observed Dawson with the eyes of a student of great scientific
+attainments, who had little in common with the crowd of elemental and
+uncouth men gathered there, or with their life; and he noted many things
+which they themselves probably accepted as matters of course, besides writing
+an important scientific treatise.”—<cite>Boston Herald.</cite></p>
+
+<p class='c026'>“It is noticeably fair-minded in its presentation of facts—the work of a
+clear-minded and well-trained observer.”—<cite>New York Outlook.</cite></p>
+
+<p class='c026'>“The first adequate presentation of the Klondike gold problem made by a
+geologist.”—<cite>New York Mail and Express.</cite></p>
+
+<div class='nf-center-c0'>
+<div class='nf-center c003'>
+    <div>D. APPLETON AND COMPANY, NEW YORK.</div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+
+<div class='pbb'>
+ <hr class='pb c004'>
+</div>
+<div class='tnotes x-ebookmaker'>
+
+<div class='chapter ph2'>
+
+<div class='nf-center-c0'>
+<div class='nf-center c001'>
+    <div>TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES</div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+
+</div>
+
+ <ul class='ul_1 c003'>
+    <li>Typos fixed; non-standard spelling and dialect retained.
+    </li>
+  </ul>
+
+</div>
+
+<div class='tnotes x-ebookmaker-drop'>
+
+  <ul  class='ul_1'>
+    <li>In the HTML version of this e-book, you can click on the [Listen] link to hear an mp3 
+    audio file of the music. Click on the [MusicXML] link to download the notation in 
+    MusicXML format. The music files are the music transcriber’s interpretation of the 
+    printed notation and are placed in the public domain.
+    </li>
+  </ul>
+
+</div>
+
+<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75287 ***</div>
+  </body>
+  <!-- created with ppgen.py 3.57e (with regex) on 2025-02-03 23:27:20 GMT -->
+</html>
+
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+This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements,
+metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be
+in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES.
+
+Procedures for determining public domain status are described in
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+
+No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in
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+Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for
+eBook #75287 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/75287)