BIRD BIOGRAPHIES 



five young kingfishers, who issued from their subterranean 

 abode. . . . With a rattle in shrillest crescendo, she 

 bolted right into the hole, delivered the fish, remained for 

 half a minute, then came out backwards, turning in the 

 air as she dropped from the entrance, and with a parting 

 rattle was off to the river." 



There were five babies in what Dr. Herrick called the 

 "King Row." They were amusing to look at as they 

 sat back on their legs; the bill of one nestling protruded 

 above the shoulder of the bird in front of it. They never 

 seized their food (fish) of their own accord. "It was 

 necessary to open their bills and press the food well down 

 into the distensible throats." Raw meat was rejected, but 

 they throve on fish. "Kingfishers' throats are lined with 

 inwardly projecting papillae s-o that when a fish is once 

 taken in its throat, it is impossible for it to e^ape." ^ 



The young kingfishers that Dr. Herrick observed be- 

 came very tame. He is pictured with them on his hand, 

 his shoulder, and on both knees. 



While kingfishers do less good than most of our feath- 

 ered benefactors, they do not destr-oy enough fish to be 

 a detriment to the fishing interests of lakes and streams. 

 They are true sportsmen, whose presence we should miss 

 when we followed the rod and creel. We are forced to 

 respect their prowess, and we may apostrophize them in 

 the words of Izaac Walton: "Angling is an Art, and you 

 know that Art better than others ; and that this is the truth 

 is demonstrated by the fruits of that pleasant labor which 

 you enjoy." 



2 From "Tlie Home Life of Wild Birds," by Francis H. Herrick. Used 

 with the permission of the author, and of his publishers, G. P. Putnam 

 & G). 



[146] 



