514 Nest of the Kingfisher. 



Richmond. It had been observed by many persons to fre- 

 quent that neighbourhood for several days, till a man of the 

 name of Arris, passing by the river side with his gun, acci- 

 dentally perceived it fluttering slowly along at a little distance 

 from the ground. He shot it, when it proved to be the above 

 species of bird, but was in a very exhausted state. It had 

 most likely been blown up from the channel, or had been 

 carried down the river by a very powerful tide, to the spot 

 where it was taken. It was first noticed by two ladies 

 swimming on the water. — A. Tulk. Richmond, Feb. 23. 1835. 



Some Information respecting the Habits of the Kingfisher 

 [p. 251 — 255.] in making its Nest. — Bewick's work is the 

 only one I can get at that says any thing about it; and his 

 account is rather an unsatisfactory one. I took a nest, the 

 only one I have ever seen, about two weeks ago ; and its build 

 and situation were so different from what I expected, that I felt 

 a wish to know what the bird's general habit is. It was in a 

 hole in the river bank, about 8 ft. above the water, out of 

 flood's way, at least such floods as usually occur at this 

 season. The nest was a very simple one, composed of fish 

 bones, (merely) laid on the mould, which appeared to have 

 been scooped out a little to receive them. The hole was 

 about 1 8 in. long, two thirds of its length straight, then turn- 

 ing off to the right. The eggs, which had evidently been 

 hard sat on, were seven in number. The bird was on the 

 nest when I took it : I gave her her liberty. On being let go, 

 she fluttered a little at first, and then, "swift as the hurled-on- 

 high jerreed," she glanced away, and was out of sight in a 

 moment. I was rather at a loss to conceive what could have 

 made the hole : the bank in which it was was bare and un- 

 sheltered, and rose almost abruptly from the water ; obviously 

 an unlikely place for a water-rat to burrow in ; and it was 

 hardly likely to have been hollowed out by a bank swallow, 

 as none of those birds had been seen there, and there were 

 no other holes anywhere near. I noticed some of the soil, 

 that had been thrown out of it, still lying underneath on a 

 projecting part of the bank. Now, this looked as if the hole 

 had been rather recently excavated : the sides of the passage 

 were slightly grooved in appearance. I thought it did not 

 look altogether unlike the work of such an instrument as a 

 bird's bill. — H. N. Leominster, April 23. 1835. 



In I. 23, 24., are " Some Remarks on the Habits of the 

 Kingfisher ; P by S. T. P. In II. 206. is a notice by F. of a 

 kingfisher's nest, which F. had examined. 



The Dipper (p. 374— 376.).— "Mr. Waterton will not, I be- 

 lieve, allow that birds ever oil their feathers ; but I would wish 



