A Book on Birds 



The Kingfisher is well named, for he 

 generally has in fact a royal time of it 

 when he turns to the piscatorial duties 

 of his daily routine. Sometimes he dives 

 into the water after his prey in the very 

 course of a long, swift flight close to its 

 surface; at others, he makes his plunge 

 from a favorable perch at the end of a 

 broken log projecting beyond the bank; 

 but, whatever the method, he is an adept 

 at the business and rarely fails to get what 

 he goes after; nor does he often neglect 

 to let out his rattling cry, as he emerges 

 dripping wet, especially if the finny victim 

 in his clutch be a big one; and it seems 

 to me on these occasions to have a rollick- 

 ing note of exultation in it, instead of 

 alarm. 



[54] 



