birds had perched upon it. My wife painted the whole to represent bark, and when it was dry my brother glued small pieces of moss and lichen on to it, and I fastened a number of pieces of strong thread to the wire inside and passed the ends through to the outside. With these we tied on a number of sprays of ivy, which we stripped from the trunks of trees, as nearly in the same position as that in which they grew, so as to make the whole thing realistic, and the illustration on page 13 will give some idea how far we succeeded. The next thing was to slit a hole for the lens in front, and a small one on either side for the eye of the photographer. The device, it is pleasant to relate, answered our highest expectations upon the very first trial, and some of the photographs taken by its aid, illustrating the next two chapters of this work, furnish incontestable proof of what may be done by such an effective method of hiding.

If any wind happens to be blowing after I have

ARTIFICIAL TKEE-TKVXK Ol'EX.

ARTIFICIAL TKEE-TKUNK CLOSED.

I4 WILD LIFE AT HOME.

placed our artificial tree-trunk over my brother and his camera or tied it round them when in position, I peg it down with little forked twigs cut from any convenient bush, and retire to a distance to await developments. If my brother requires anything he signals for me, either by a whistle or by thrusting the corner of a white handkerchief out behind him, where the bark of his tree-trunk is laced together. It must not for a moment be supposed that any naturalist or photographer cannot utilise this hiding contrivance when by himself. My brother and I have each used ours with perfect ease when alone. Slits for the lens or observation may be cut anywhere in the American cloth, because when not in use they close up sufficiently to prevent anything from being seen through them, either from the inside or the outside.

One great merit of this simple and effective contrivance is that it does not cost much to make. The materials which we purchased to make ours from cost us altogether something under twenty shillings. Of course, such an arrangement as an artificial tree-trunk, however excellent as an imitation, would hardly do to stick up near, say, a larks' nest in the middle of a bare ten-acre field.

In recognition of this fact we began to cast about for some object of familiar aspect to ground-

building birds which we could imitate effectively and cheaply, and which would at the same time be quite light and portable. Our choice fell upon a rubbish -heap such as farmers rake off the land when cleaning it for a grass crop, and use as a

JIAL HUBBI8H-HBA1

foundation for ricks. Our artificial tree-trunk had pleased us so much that we at once set to work upon the building of an imitation rubbish-heap. This we constructed out of an old umbrella, to each of the ribs of which I lashed a piece of split bamboo four feet long. The whole was then covered with light-brown holland, and when open

resembled a huge mushroom. By running innumerable bits of string through the material, in such a way as to leave two ends hanging outside, we were enabled to tie small wisps of straw to it all over, and thus virtually thatch the whole structure. We then cut off the handle and shaft of the umbrella close up to the top catch, so that they should not come in the way of the camera when inside, but would still leave sufficient stick behind wherewith to open and shut the whole structure.

Knowing of a lark's nest in a field not far away, we took our new contrivance out early one morning, and, fixing it up ten or a dozen yards away, left it. In the afternoon we moved it close up to the nest, which contained a brood of large young ones, and, putting the camera inside, cut a slit in the holland for the protrusion of the lens, and a small one on each side, commanding the same view as the camera, for purposes of observation. The result which we obtained through its instrumentality is represented on page 74, and, together with the studies of starlings going to feed their young under the thatch of a rick on pages 76 and 77, which we obtained by placing our artificial rubbish-heap in an old farmyard tumbril as shown in our illustration on the previous page, demonstrates in the fullest possible manner its utility.

When in use it is advisable to peg it down, especially if a breeze happens to be blowing, and to see that none of the straws hanging near the

lens has a chance of swinging across the field of vision. The whole cost of making such a simple and effective hiding arrangement as this is something under a crown; and to anyone who is fond of studying the habits of birds at close quarters, quite apart from photographic considerations, I would strongly recommend the making and using of it, for in the spring it shields the observer from cold winds, and in summer from the hot sun; and watching a bird feed her chicks, and listening to their clamour and her answering notes within two or three feet of it all, are certainly delightful experiences. A few general hints, especially to those who do not possess the right to wander over property suitable for hunting after natural-history subjects, may not inaptly wind up this chapter.

One of the most important things at the outset is to place yourself on good terms with the farmers upon whose land you would like to search, and, once consent has been gained, carefully refrain from wandering over fields when crops of any kind are likely to be injured thereby. It is, perhaps, unnecessary to add that in no case should hedges be broken down or gates left open. My brother and I have always been very particular upon these points, and have, in consequence, got on excellently with members of the farming community in all parts of the country; and we have

on our part, I am glad to be able to say, on several occasions been in a position to render some small service for this helpful goodwill, by righting "cast" sheep, and even rescuing them from ledges of rock in the face of cliffs down to which they had either slipped by accident, or ventured after a few mouthfuls of luscious-looking grass. On one occasion I remember my brother descending a precipice by the aid of ropes, and bringing a sheep ; and thisup that was almost too weak to stand he did hi spite of the fact that a Highland gamekeeper who stood by declared that he would break his neck if he attempted the feat.

Landowners and gamekeepers are very useful friends, and will generally afford any assistance in their power to any true student of natural history, provided he acts honourably, and does not disturb or otherwise injure the prospects of their game. The following of the last line of conduct cannot be urged too strongly. Do not, for instance, ask for permission to photograph birds' nests on a man's property, and then visit it with the intention of also purloining eggs. Never tempt a keeper to allow you to do anything you would not openly ask his master permission to let you go and do yourself.

When visiting a locality or district where certain specimens are to be found, it is not wise to set up for knowing a lot, as such an attitude invariably freezes the practical man into silence on the spot. Do not dogmatise upon what you have read, even

in the best authorities, or know from personal experience. All living things act differently under different sets of conditions, although some of the latter may be imperceptibly slight.

Finally, remember that, whether out in the field or closeted in the developing-roorn, pains and patience go largely to the learning of something it is useful to know, and to the making of good

pictures.

HOME OF THE DIl'l'EU.

CHAPTER II.

PHOTOGRAPHING IX CLIFFS AND TREES, AND FROM

BOATS.

THE photographing of many natural-history objects in situ necessitates gymnastic work of no mean order, and requires a cool head and strong physical qualities wherewith to accomplish it successfully. Eagles, falcons, ravens, and hooded crows breed in places so difficult of access from a photographic point of view, that it is impossible to reach their nests except by the aid of climbing-ropes. However, under ordinary circumstances cliff descending is much safer than Alpine climbing, and furnishes its dizzying sensations without involving so much travelling expense and fatigue.

We use two Manilla-hemp ropes, each two hundred feet in length, and an inch and a half and two inches in circumference respectively. The thicker or descending rope has three loops at the end for donning round the photographer's hips, and forming a sling, in which he virtually sits when making a descent. When after a nest in a cliff, the first thing necessary is to find out the precise place at which it is situated, by frightening off its owner. Some

naturalists do this by walking close to the edge and blowing a whistle. We use a revolver, which, though a little heavier to carry about, is much more effective and reliable. In working a cliff two things are requisite. The first is to get as near the edge as the dictates of safety will allow, and at a point commanding a good view of its face to right and left; the second is to take care not to walk out on to any overhanging piece of rock that might by chance give way. I once had a narrow escape from a nasty accident by being a little too venturesome in this respect. It is better, when engaged in preliminary investigations of this kind, to have one end of the thinner or guide rope round the waist, a precaution which begets confidence in the naturalist, and thereby enhances his view of the yawning abyss below him, and also the value of his observations.

It is a grand sight to see a Peregrine falcon shoot out of a fissure in the face of a precipice, and, mounting the air, fly round and round high overhead, the while uttering her loud, defiant kek-kek-kek. Some birds, such as shags, will not budge an inch for a shot, even when fired close to them. I have watched members of this species sitting in crevices working their heads about in anger whilst I fired shot after shot into the sea at the bottom of a great amphitheatre formed by the peculiar conformation of the crags, which intensified the din, without leaving their nests and eggs or

PREPARING TO DESCEND A CLIFF.

little black shiny-skinned and quite downless young ones. Having located the precise position of a nest, the next thing to do is to drive a fairly stout crowbar from eight to twelve inches, according to circumstances, into the ground in a line directly above it. The crowbar should have a slightly backward cant of the head away from the cliff', and have the guide-rope securely tied to that portion of it close to the ground in whole or in part, according to the requirements of the place to be descended. It would be quite useless to fling two hundred feet of guide-rope over a cliff only a hundred feet in depth, not to say harmful, in a place with the sea at the bottom. In the case of a crag having a certain amount of backward summit slope, the rope should be thrown well out in coil, so as to get it clear of obstacles, and thus minimise the work and trouble of the descender.

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