324 BIRDS, BEASTS, AND FISHES 



He has a lustful, doggy face, and a yellowish, ferret-like fur. 

 His wings are large and strong, and he is very tenacious 

 of life. He flies round shrieking, and sweeps down on his 

 prey like a swallow ; and like a swallow he captures flies 

 from the surface of the water, dipping right into it, rippling 

 the still dike or broad. He hates light ; and should you 

 take him into a lighted room, he will shun the light and 

 sneak into the darkest corner. During the day he hangs 

 in some leafy tree. 



I have opened several of their stomachs, but never found 

 anything but flies and midges — never a beetle. 



