CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 99 



hiding-place, it is by no means easy for a quick 

 flying shot, owing to the amount of timber that 

 obstructs one's view ' in the case of a bird going 

 through either up stream or down the estuary. This 

 difficulty would not present itself in the case of 

 Ducks sitting on the water. I had previously paid 

 several visits to this spot, but without any result. 

 On this occasion I was more fortunate. I had been 

 sitting there for an hour or more, when something 

 flashed through the bridge on the far side from 

 where I was sittinor • lookino- down stream, I 

 observed the blue plumage of the bird going away 

 — Kingfisher ! says I to myself — knowing the rest- 

 less habits of this species, that it would not be 

 content to remain very long where it had gone, I 

 fixed my eyes steadily down stream for its return ; 

 probably something like half an hour elapsed before 

 I saw it in the distance returning up stream. 

 Waiting till it got to within 20 or 30 yards of the 

 bridge, I put my gun to my shoulder, and as it shot 

 through on its way up the river, I just managed to 

 g-et on to it before it (jot round a bend, and so 

 managed to annex it. Thus endeth the second 

 chapter. 



In regard to distribution abroad, according to 

 Howard Saunders, "The Kingfisher is found from 

 Northern Germany southward in suitable localities 

 throughout Europe down to the Mediterranean. It 

 occurs in the Canaries and Madeira ; in Morocco 

 and Alo-eria it is said to breed ; and it inhabits 

 Egypt during winter." 



