Gilpin observer., 1909-04-01
Tent, Camera and cSzoa.


The most important item in the out
fit specially necessary for the pno-
tographing OF living animals is, after
the lens, some device for concealing
the camera, or operator, or both. l
am almost inclined to rank it before
the lens in Importance, inasmuch as 1t
is obviously useless to possess the
most perfect lens that was ever made
If there is no opportunity to bring II
within working distance of the de-
sired quarry.
In nine cases out of ten success in
this difficult but fascinating branch
of work depends entirely upon perfect
concealment. For If that is once at
tanned the most timid bird, il 1t sees
nothing to alarm 1t. will have no hest
tation in approaching its nest, and can
then be photographed without further
loss of time. Many special devices
have been used by different workers,
and very ingenious, not to say sensa-
tional, some of them have been: but
most, If not all of them, have lacked
the essential qualities of lightness
and portability.
ii q WnOle SEASON. were 10 spent
on one farm. or in one district of not
too great an extent, artificial tree
trunks and the hollow skins of domes
tic animals would no doubt prove of
excellent service for the shyest and
most timid creatures; but for the trav-
cling naturalist their weight and lack
of portability would be fatal disqualifi
cations.
When | first started this work in
1898, l6 years ago. my first idea was
to use large bag made of thin. green
fabric, big enough to cover the camera
and tripod, while | crouched under
meath. and | still find somewhat
similar contrivance the best thing to
use for all-round work. My present
bag is of greenish khaki. which is suit
able for use among bushes and hedges
and also for mudhats and open spaces,
or among rocks and stones. II is
shaped somewhat like tent. 1. e., 1t
tapers towards the top and spreads
out at the bottom just enough to in
clude the legs of the tripod when well
straddled out. There is hole for the
lens and also peephole. several. in
thorns and briars you can generally
find peephole in any direction.
Z is well provided with tapes. by
means of which branches. lunches of
grass, leaves or bracken can be fas-
tened to the outside as n further dis
guise. 1t can thus be quickly adapted
to suit almost any kind of surround
ings while ii weighs next to nothing
and can be packed up like a focusing.
cloth and takes up little more room
BY using inside this tent sketching
stool, which can be easily carried with
the camera-case. and Just brings the
exe level with the horizontal focusing
eyepiece, or focusing glass, some de-
gree of comfort may be obtained. Al
any rate, It Is far less firing than
squatting on the ground. or kneeling
when a long wait of four or five hours
or more may be necessary.
Hidden In this | find that birds of
the most timid disposition approach
their nest much more quickly than
when | merely use rough screen of
branches or other impromptu hiding
contrivances. For instance. last spring
i DHlu u SUOIt NlSll W ftOIlunu, Wnefe
/ gave this tent n good trial II was
most satisfactory to see how quickly
avocets settled themselves on their
nests and approached my hiding place
without appearing to notice anything
very strange In this case was work.
ing on perfectly bare mud.flat desti.
tute of any cover; and, as there was
no vegetation of any sort available, 1t
was not possible to add anything to
disguise the appearance of the tent. II
must therefore have been a most con.
spicuous object, and yet, as there was
no indication of any human being, the
birds appeared to take very little nd.
tice of II.
Afterwards | camped out at the edge
of creek about the margins of which
they were feeding. They had no hesi-
tation in passing me on the further
side OF the creek at distance OF
about ten yards. Besides avocets,
both oyster-catchers and red.shanks