The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-29
SHOOTING MIG GAME WITH A
CAMERA.

When a man makes excuses for the hazy
appearance Of lion, fixed on his photo
graphic plate In It's native wilds, on the
ground that he was within ten feet OF the
animal, too near for proper focus, we may
credit him with rather unusual nerve and
enthusiasm. The Germans say that after
G. g. Sohillings had enriched seven OF the
museums OF Central Europe with splendid
collections Of African fauna, including some
hitherto unknown varieties, they thought
their men OF science and the general public
had said all that could be said In oommenda-
ton; but they are beginning all over again.
for Sohillings, during his last long sojourn
in Africa, struck out a new line OF work ana
his success would make any man famous
Schillings went back to Africa with very
large Photographic outfit, including flash
light materials and telescope cameras. His
purpose was to carry back to Europe many
glimpsee OF the animals in the big game
country between the Indian Ocean and the
central lakes, showing them just as they live
and act in a state Of nature as they wander
through the jungle and forests and over the
grass plains.
1t was rare indeed that he could get near
" Huho an S'iVSliNC pStttp "a S'SA"
with an ordinary camera; but half mile or
more away his telescope lens revealed, IN
clear detail the morning bath of the rhinoc-
eros, the elephant and giraffe feeding on
leaves and twigs, the antelopes, zebras,
gnus and a host OF other animals grazing on
the plains, and the birds, big or small. In
flight or at rest. So he went on month after
month catching many phases OF the actual
lif, Of tropical animals.
Most Of the beasts of prey seek the shade
and quiet of the forest during the hot day
light hours. They are night providers, lying
In wait for their prey at the water places or
along the paths leading to them. sohillings's
flashlights we're intended for these animals,
and they served their purpose we'll Scores OF
nights he sat out in the open or the forest
within his rude fence Of thorny scrub wait
ing for tho lion. the leopard or hyena; wait
ing often in vain, for frequently nothing
came his way aud then catching picture
or two that ma @ him as happy ever a
hunter is over big bag. Other animals
came too-zebras, antelopes, gazels. gnus,
and troops Of others-and tho lens caught
them at the brink Of the water before more
than the tips Of their tails had time to
crinkle with surprise at the vivid white
light that suddenly flashed upon them.
This Is the kind of illustrative material
that Schiings has just put into his book.
INIT Bitzlicht und Blchse, and it gives an
impression that we have never derived from
any other source Of the wild animals OF
Africa, for 1t shows them as they are in the
setting Of their own homes. The king Of
beasts is we'll represented and in several
plates we see him springng on his victim
But the lashight made towards OF all from
lion to jackal. Every one OF them sprang
into the jungle as fast as his legs could carry
him. There was some excitement but more
WEAKNESS in the long night Watches and the
photographer seems to have incurred little
persona, risk.
We have heard OF the friendships of diff
ferent species of African animals. and here
we 500 them photographoally illustrated.
One picture shows two elephants and a
giraffe which were constant companions in
the three weeks Schillings saw them. The
zebras and gnus arc great friends and are
usually shown together in this collection OF
pictures. We have commonly thought Of
monkeys az keeping to trees, but one Of these
plates shows hundreds of them in the grass
of the open plain, where they live most OF
the time.
The Photographic work Of this naturalist
Is all the more worthy Of attention because
not few OF his pictures are Of animals that
are doomed to extinction before great
many years. Such work as bis will help TO
preserve the memory of what they were
among their natural surroundings.