The Kingfishers and their King Ro\v. 



93 



When liberated on August I2th, at the age of thirty-three days, the young King- 

 fishers were suddenly thrown upon their own resources, and it was questionable whether 

 they would be able to recover the instinct to seek and capture prey. However, they 

 were strong and healthy, and I hope that nature came to their aid not only in prompting 

 them to find food, but in starting them south later in the autumn. 



Fig. 87. Kingfishers twenty-two days old. Placed in line to illustrate habit of walking back- 

 wards. The second bird at the left has already broken ranks and taken a few backward steps. 

 August i, 1900. 



