Birds of Britain 

 THE KINGFISHER 



Alcedo ispida, Linnaeus 



In spite of the ease with which he may be caught, and 

 the demand for his skin brought about by his fatal beauty, 

 we are still able to reckon the Kingfisher as a generally 

 distributed species. 



Eepresentative of a family which is essentially associated 

 with tropical climes, he still wears his brilliant dress in 

 these northern latitudes, and resembles, as he darts with 

 rapid flight down our rivers and streams, some huge 

 turquoise. 



Having fixed on a favourite piece of water, he seldom 

 wanders far afield, but may be seen at all times of the year, 

 sitting on an overhanging bough, ever and anon dropping 

 into the water to seize some passing fish. His prey being 

 captured, he returns to his perch and kills the struggling 

 fish by knocking it against his stand ; it is then swallowed 

 head first, and he resumes his motionless watch. If sport 

 be slow, and he be hungry, he will wend his way with rapid 

 flight down the river to try his luck in another place, and 

 it is at such times that we shall probably get a momentary 

 glimpse of his brilliancy, till a curve in the stream hides him 

 from sight. 



Mere cold does not seem to affect him in the least, but 

 when the streams are frozen he suffers greatly from hunger, 

 and after a day or two of frosty weather he reluctantly 

 leaves his accustomed home for the milder reaches of the 



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