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173 can do little, but by united effort the work is comparatively easy of accomplishment. If you are unable to send fully accredited representatives, I trust you, and one of the active members, will attend un officially and represent your Society. It will perhaps save time and assist me if you will let me have, in the course of the ensuing week, some particulars of your Society, especially all or any of the following :—Number of members, the terms of subscription, a list of the papers read, the names of any of your members who would read papers before another Society, or give lantern evenings ; also a list of sets of slides in the possession of your members would be useful. I trust to hear from you by the 26th February, with any farther suggestions or subjects that may occur to you as suit able for the agenda paper. LEWIS M. Biden, Presiilent of the Toynlcc Camera Club. 11, LeadenluM Street, London, E.C., Feb. 18th, ANIMAL PHOTOGRAPHY. Sin,—My note of December 1st, 1890, and my letter to you of January 19 th this year, I had not intended for publica tion. It is my mistake. I sat down and wrote what I remembered, and what I knew to be correct. I am not in the habit of writing to newspapers, not possessing sufficient of the suaviter in modo. I hope I have done no harm, and surely none was intended. I received by this mail, along with my PHOTOGRAPHIC News and Journal, a pamphlet by Gambier Bolton, on “Animal Photography.” It would take time to write my opinion of it, but notvery long to sayrightout what I think of it. According to his statement, it has taken him from fifteen to eighteen years to arrive at his present state of efficiency. There is a beginning to all things, great and small, and I would like to sec Mr. Bolton’s earlier attempts with his sixty-shilling Fallowfield. Ambition (without which no man is worth know ing) and an artistic training no doubt have led him to the goal, from the pinnacle of which he looks down with somewhat of scorn on his followers ; but that is no reason why he should make a stab at everybody and everything that comes in his way. The maker of his camera, lens, and, above all, of his plates, received not a “ Thank you.” No 1 “ Alone I did’ it,” as Du Vai would say. Yet methinks there is a soft place in his heart, for on page 7 of his pamphlet he says, “ Forgive me if I have spoken too strongly on the subject.” This is sufficient answer in itself that our worthy hero is of the right sort. To my mind it would have been infinitely preferable if Mr. Bolton had published his experience with these animals in book form, instead of making such wholesale denunciations of former efforts and their producers. None of us are too old to learn. There has been an evident tendency for some years past for those who have reached the topmost rung of the ladder to decry the efforts of their less fortunate brethren. I will explain myself. Many of our leading photo graphers retired from business, when the cares of the profession lie lightly on them, are in the habit of writing down what should be done, and what should be left alone ; how high art should be cultivated, more of the picturesque chiaroscuro, &c., and how we should lift ourselves out of the mire we are “ flummuxing ” in; drop retouching, and study the facial muscles, and not make a marble statue of everything we touch— All very well in its way, but they did not say the same when they were struggling for £ s. d. A fellow-feeling makes us wondrous kind, and I should like to see those who are enjoying honourable rest and retirement after they have fought the battle of life being a little more practical in their remarks. If they want anything to do, let them gird up their loins, and rid the country of the penny plain and two-penny coloured tribe, the parasites of the profession. Then, will their light shine before men. I am wandering from the pamphlet. On page 6 Mr. Bolton says: “ Many of our oldest workers are the chief offenders, and, rather than lose some picturesque group, will take a negative of a horse, cow, &c., with tail or ears blurred. Might I say that professional photographers have no time at their disposal to wait for ears or tails. These are manufactured on the premises.” Perhaps Mr. Bolton does not know this, but it is true. From the sketch of the lion on the cover of the pamphlet, the carnivora must be differently housed than at the time I photographed them. It would be next to an im possibility to have taken them without the bars. They are not the most difficult of the animals to take, but they made the most unsatisfactory pictures, owing to their appearing behind the bars. With such perfect instruments, and small lenses of great rapidity, one ought, I should think, to secure positions to satisfy the most fastidious. Five minutes more, and this letter will be whirling on its way to London from the land of diamonds, the richest bit of earth under the sun. I must close. To Mr. Bolton au revoir. Don’t think I have got “the hump,” or “the needle,” or whatever you call it in London. B. Harvey. The Kimberley Photographic Studio, Feb. 2nd. THE GLOUCESTERSHIRE PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY’S SECOND TRIENNIAL EXHIBITION. Sir,—Will you kindly favour us with a paragraph announcing the judges, viz., Messrs. H. P. Robinson, Valentine Blanchard, and Edward Brightman, in accordance with the prospectus conditions ; also calling attention to the date for closing entries, March 13th. The arrangements are well in hand, and we anticipate as great an all-round success as we had in 1888. F. H. Burr, Joint Hon. See. 137, West'jate Street, Gloucester, February 24th. A RENUNCIATION. Sir,—My attention has been called to a sentence or so of “A Renunciation,” by Mr. P. H. Emerson, printed in the PHOTOGRAPHIC News of January 23rd. I quote from it as follows : “Suggestions have been made that I got some of my ideas from a book called ‘ Naturalistic Painting.’ I have a letter in my possession from au artist, wherein is stated clearly and exactly that Mr. Bate * had read a paper of mine on ‘ Naturalistic Photography,’ before his first article appeared in The Artist." With reference to it, I would ask you, Sir, to publish the fact that before this I had not known of Mr. Emerson or his paper on “Naturalistic Photography," or any other work that is his. This being so may not affect Mr. Emerson in the position which he takes with his footnote, save that, ex fide bona, he will probably be desirous of disclosing the letter to which he refers, and the name of the writer of it. Francis Bate. Applegarth Studio, Augustine Road, IP., Feb. 24th. REDUCED RAILWAY FARES FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS. Sir,—The following was addressed to the railway companies running out of Liverpool. I should be glad if local photo graphic societies would aid our efforts to obtain greater rail way facilities than we at present receive. Thos. S. Mayne. Liverpool, Feb. 24th. The International Photographic Exhibition, 1891. Sir,—This important function (triennial) takes place this year from March 6th to April 4th. It will, without doubt, be on the largest scale of any similar exhibition ever held in the Kingdom. The Liverpool Corporation has granted the use of the greater portion of the Walker Art Gallery. We antici pate visitors to the extent of at least 50,000. Probably interest in the Liverpool Exhibition is everywhere the feature of importance in photographic circles all over the country. We now only want the help of the railway companies to double our number of visitors. The growing popularity of photography with the rising generation amongst all classes of our community, from the highest personages to the middle class and enlightened artizans, is not recognised to the extent it deserves by railway companies. Like cycling, it is only in its infancy ; photography and cycling are the landmarks of the nineteeth century as elevating pastimes. * This does not imply that Mr. Bate to k any ideas from my paper ; on the contrary, I feel sure his ideas were his own, as were mine.