BRITISH BIRDS. 8$ 



bird itself, or more often by a water-rat, in the bank of a 

 stream. The eggs, six or so in number, are rounded and 

 white, but are quickly soiled by the bird's feet and the wet 

 necessarily carried into the hole, which, from the nature of 

 the food used by the occupants, generally emits an abomin- 

 able smell. 



If the kingfisher must be kept in confinement, it should 

 have an abode specially constructed for its accommodation 

 along a sunny wall facing south or south-west, through 

 which a little stream, broadening into a small pond, should be 

 conducted. A bank and some willows overhanging the 

 brook must not be forgotten, and a constant supply of 

 small fish, minnows, and sticklebacks, must be arranged 

 for, and, failing these, a few dead sprats of small size, or 

 even morsels of fish cut up, must be thrown into the water ; 

 but live food is undoubtedly the best. In such a place a 

 pair of kingfishers would be fairly happy, and might 

 breed, but it is hopeless to attempt to keep them success- 

 fully in any other manner. 



The wire covering the aviary, and all bars and posts con- 

 nected therewith, must be painted black, so as to show off 

 the beauty of the kingfishers to the best advantage. 



These birds, in many places, are now strictly protected 

 by legislative enactment, and need all the help they can 

 get to save them from extermination. Whatever their 

 shortcomings, it is quite sure that they do not touch fish- 

 spawn, for in their natural conditions they never take 

 anything that they do not see move. Sometimes a fisher, 

 when about to throw an artificial minnow, will, to his sur- 

 prise, find that he has hooked a kingfisher. 



In severe weather, when stream and mere are frozen 

 over, these birds will descend to the seashore in search of 

 fish or something else that they consider edible. 



The brilliant colours of the kingfisher have brought him 



