THE 



FIELD NATURALIST, 



ON PROCURING SPECIMENS OF BRITISH LAND BIRDS 

 FOR A MUSEUM, WITH INCIDENTAL OBSERVATIONS 

 ON THE HABITS OF VARIOUS SPECIES. 



( Continued from page 54.) 



BY E. BLYTH. 



I AM sorry that a severe indisposition should have prevented me 

 from continuing- this subject last month ; but if these desultory gossiping 

 observations are worthy a place in your pages, I feel much pleasure in 

 resuming them now. 



In addition to the various remarks I made upon a kingfisher, which 

 I kept for some time in confinement, I may here add, that it was very 

 rarely heard to emit any sound ; but that when hungry, or kept longer 

 than usual without a supply of fresh food, it was at times extremely 

 clamorous, uttering- continually a sharp and loud chirp, resembling 

 chwite. I have heard it said, that, on account of the extreme shortness 

 of its legs, the kingfisher is unable to move forward upon the ground, 

 but this is erroneous ; if placed on the ground, it will generally fly off 

 immediately, but I have, nevertheless, on more than one occasion, seen 

 it with short quick steps waddle along in rather a ludicrous manner. 

 I have lately examined a considerable number of jays ( Garrulus glan- 

 darius), and think that to illustrate this species well both male and 

 female should be preserved ; in the former, the feathers upon the fore- 

 head are whiter, and the black spots consequently better contrasted 

 than in the other sex : the tail also is more barred, and the colours of 

 the whole plumage more lively : the female, however, exhibits a number 

 of small transverse bars upon the crest, which, in the male bird, are 

 scarcely discernible. My own observation of this species leads me to 



VOL. ii. NO. in. (MARCH, 1834.) a 



