Some Remarks on the Habits of the Kingfisher, 23 



Art. V. Some Remarks on the Habits of the Kingfisher, By 

 S. T. P. of Leeds. 



It has been justly observed by an accomplished naturalist, 

 that there are few facts, however isolated, however trivial they 

 may respectively appear, more conducive to the illustration 

 of the history of animals, than those which relate to their 

 habits. I am induced, therefore, to send for insertion, in any 

 Number of your forthcoming Magazine of Natural History, 

 some particulars relating to the habits of the kingfisher (^41- 

 cedo Tspida, {fig, 3.) which I do not ► find mentioned in any 

 English ornithological work. Indeed, the editor of the last 

 edition of Pennant's British Zoology says, " the kingfisher 

 seldom flies much, or far from its haunt," but the facts I am 

 about to state bear a different aspect. 



Early in the month of October last, while passing a short 

 time on our southern coast, and within half a mile of the sea, 

 I was agreeably surprised by 

 the sudden appearance of great 

 numbers of kingfishers, in a 

 country where I had previously 

 observed only an occasional 

 example. On enquiry, I found 

 that these birds regularly make 

 their appearance on that coast 

 in October, and as regularly de- 

 part in the following spring. Of 

 this, the occurrences of last month furnished some proof. A 

 collector of birds for London preservers sent notice that the 

 kingfishers had returned to the banks of the Thames, in his 

 neighbourhood, and in one week he furnished eighteen spe- 

 cimens, the production of his own gun, though they are well 

 known to be one of the most difficult birds to shoot. 



These birds lay six or seven eggs, nearly round, tinged 

 with a most delicate pink colour, from the influence of the 

 yolk pervading the transparent albumen and thin shell ; they 

 have, moreover, a much larger air-bag (folliculus aeris), than 

 is to be found in any other British bird's egg, in proportion 

 to its size. It is well known that the eggs of birds, deposited 

 in their nests on the ground, contain a larger quantity of air 

 in the receptacle, than those placed in nests upon trees ; and 

 the young of the former are invariably produced in a much 

 more perfect state (supposed to be owing to the influence of 

 the greater portion of oxygen), than the young of the latter, 

 which remain helpless and naked for several days, while the 

 young of the former are covered with down, and able to quit 



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