One of the great pioneers of nature films was Percy Smith, whose Secrets of Nature Films were distributed (and archived) by Pathe in the 30s. They were all about 10 minutes long and covered a staggering range of subjects using a truly innovative array of photographic techniques. Highlights from this eccentric master include:

AMAZING MAIZE (Animation and time-lapse of maize)
BEEF AND BEER (Australian cattle rearing and hop growing)
BREWSTER'S MAGIC (Brewing "from seed to beer")
DOWN UNDER (how roots grow underground)
DREAM FLOWERS (cultivation and effect of opium)
FLIGHT MACHINE (the mechanics of bird flight compared to aeroplanes)
FROG (frog spawn to tadpole to frog in ten minutes)
FROTHBLOWER (The truth behind cuckoo spit!)
GATHERING MOSS (How moss grows…)
HOLD ALL (Feeding time at the zoo relative to human behaviour)
MAGIC MYXIES (a strange half animal half vegetable microscopic entity)
MARINE MODELS (compares marine life to fashion items)
MIGHTY ATOMS (cheese mites and other assorted mini creatures
ORPHANS OF THE WOOD (a look at various types of pheasant)
PEAS AND CUES (how peas grow and how pollination occurs)
PHANTOMS (gnat and mosquito larva)
PLANTS OF THE UNDERWORLD (time-lapse roots…)
PLAYTIME AT THE ZOO (animals edited to music)
SAFETY IN HIDING (camouflage in the animal kingdom)
SCARLET RUNNER & CO (time-lapse runner beans!)
SEA LEVEL (compares a busy seabed to a congested city…)
SPECIAL MESSENGERS (the secrets of carrier pigeons)
SPOON IN THE MOUTH (birds filmed from a hide in Hungary)
SPRINGTIME IN THE SCILLIES (indigenous birds)
STARTING IN LIFE (different methods of pollination)
STRANGLER (the deadly "dodder" plant)
TWO POUNDER (how fish grow and are caught)
WAR IN THE TREES (attempts to kill off wood wasps with parasites)
WATER FOLK (water fleas)
WHERE FLIES GO IN THE WINTERTIME (the age old question answered!)
WORLD IN A WINE GLASS (life in a glass of pond water!)

Early pictorials were also at pains to show off their technical skills with the camera; they filmed spirogyra, blood cells, a fly's eye, water boatmen, silk moths, pond life, and even deep sea fish.

Later on, when the Pictorials adopted colour, Pathe would travel to exotic flower gardens and nature reserves all over the world to film the most colourful birds and beasts they could find!

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

PSP 889: "FROM A DROP OF WATER" (microphotography of life in a drop of water)