Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-25
LECTURE ON BIRD LIFE.
MI. William L. Finley Tells of His
Experience and Exhibits Pictures.

A remarkable series of photographs Illus
trating the home life of birds accompany
ing brilliant lecture on the subject by
specialist and lover of birds was given be-
fore a large audience of ornithologists who
gathered last evening in George Washing
ton University Hall by William L. Finley
of Portland. Ore. The speaker described
the life Of several species of birds, show
ing the characteristics and the individ-
uality of each kind of bird.
Mr.. Finley is leader among the orni-
biologists IN his special line of work that
of photographing bird life and nests; and
the experience and results of seven years OF
active work was given last evening in this
special lecture under the auspices of the
Audubon Society of Washington. He has
made his Investigations along the Pacific
coast of the United States and has accu-
mulated about 1900 photographs of bird
life. He has made a study of certain spe-
cieS at special times. In making the pho
tographs of the birds and their homes in
the hollows OF trees, on topmost limbs or
In blossom covered vines, many difficulties
were met with in focusing the camera and
in getting the desired poses of the birds.
After the camera was fixed two or three
days were usually consumed in making the
birds accustomed to the person and the
camera and its click At the end of that
time, when they had ceased to be fright
ened by the noise, the series of pictures
were begun. Pictures were shown last
H.,
the nestlings the feeding of the offspring,
the first airing and progress to full ma
turity.
Several remarkable photographs were
presented There was one picture of a
humming bird sucking from the blossom
while poised in midair A particular
flower was picked out by the photographer
and then was treated with sweet water. so
as to attract the bird. The exposure was
one-seven hundredths of second, but was
clear and distinct. In another case a moth
er chickadee was shown just placing the
worm in the wide-open mouth of the little
nesting.
The speaker first took up the woodpeck-
err, with a study of the nest in the hollow
of the tree The hawk. appearing white at
birth and growing darker as he grew older,
was the next. The barn owls. with their
peculiar features, looking as If they had
been put together wrong. caused much
amusement. Smaller birds were then con-
sidered. the wren, bush-tit. the chickadee.
the hunming bird, the characteristics of
each being shown clearly.
Mr.. Finley was introduced by Dr. Leland
o. Howard, chief entomologtst of the De-
partment of Agriculture. He has been at
tending the convention of the American
Ornithologists' Union, which was held in
Brooklyn last week, and Is delivering
series of lectures In several large cities IN
the east. and is attracting much attention.
The proceeds OF the lecture last evening
were to be given to the family of Game
Warden Bradley. who was killed in Florida
some months ago while trying to arrest
plume-hunter. But the hall, 1t was dis
covered, could not be used for paid enter
tainment, and fund for the Bradley fam
lily was made up from donations. Among
Arthur Brice, Justice Barnard and Mrs
Barnard, Rev DIR. Wallace Radcliffe and
Mrs. Radcliffe, Gen George Forsythe, Mrs
Seth Shepard, Mr. and Mrs Vernon
Miss Harding. Miss Bradley and Mrs. ].
w. Boyee.