BIRDS ON THE BIOSCOPE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 8 November 1907, Page 4

BIRDS ON THE BIOSCOPE.

Entirely new possibilities in photography in nature study—one may say in field lore—were revealed by Mr Kearton before a small gathering at the hall of the Institute of Journalists, in London (says a contributor to The Times). It has been known for eoine time that he and his brother, whose photographs of birds are known all over the world, had beer, experimenting with the bioscope. In their endeavor to silence the machine they have not been altogether successful, thoigh they have muffled its liuit. But they have got over the diffi culty in another way. Mr Keaiton lias so successfully accustomed birds to liis presence that they have al--1 lowed him to handle them, and have •subsequently endured his apparatus with cheerfulness The results arc -astounding. The photographers have ■chiefly been busy with young broods. The first series shewed pipits, wbitetiiroats, bull-finches, larks, spotted j flj'ratchere. wrynecks, and sedge warblers, in each case the parents be ing- engaged in feeding the young. I You could follow every movement or the bird; watch the bullfinches bring out the pouched food in surprising quantity; the larks run along their little pathway, and carefully select each young bird in turn The waving of the grew, the ruffling of '.ho feath era were quite distinct. The audience could not forbear a cheer when the sedge warbler, finding his mate on thi. nest, passed on the food, which she in. turn passed on to the young. Tie second series showed mostly sea. birds, many on the Faroe Islands, now happily preserved by a body of naturalists. Apart fnn some beautiful pictures flf terns in flight, the most remarkable were the cormorants 'ucswullowing" their food with furious contor tions, and the gannets building a nest on the Bass rock. But Mr Kearten kept a climax. At the end wo were shown a sparrow-hawk feeding its youn»- Nothing comparable will, this photograph lias been hitherto been approached, e\en by the American "fakers"' recently attacked by Mr Rooeerelt. It -'as reccfsary to build . 'ipa stand close to the nest raid wort the bioscope fn.m within a few feet. 'hie would think it impossible, but the thing was done; and the whole long process of the bird pulling its | prey to pieces on the edsre of the nest, j tho clamoring of tliree of the four young, the savage gestures of the old bird and its curious favoritism, were shown with a realistic vividness be yond deseripticn. Yet Mr Keartoi. and his brother ar.; only at the be of the e T IH-ruiK-nt. They ,ut also attempting to reduce the phonograph to silence, but so far the sound • f the r.eedle on the cylinder has always made the bird stop his song and listen.