The Laughing Jackass 



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renders it an easy moiUliful to swallow. After completing these 

 preliminaries, the great kingfislier tosses his victim in the air, 

 and adroitly catching it by the head swallows it entire, the tail 

 being the last to disappear. If not ])articiilarly hungry, he will 

 hold the mouse in his l)eak for some time the while he sings it a 

 song of love as exemplified by kisses and laughter. His laugh 

 is a most extraordinary sound. He lets fly with this startling 

 cachinnation at all hours of the day, but the early morning is 

 most noticeable. Tt conunences with a pectiliar kind of rattle 

 which continues for some seconds and then rises on an upward 

 note in gathering crescendo to a demoniacal " Ha. ha, ha, ! Ho, 

 ho, ho! " It is quite impossible to adequately describe it in writ- 



Photo F, Dawson Siiiilli. 

 Laughinc( Jackass (and Mouse). 



ing. I could manage to convey a feeble idea of it vocally, but I 

 cannot aspire to rival my "kookaburra" on his top notes. Simply 

 it cannot be forgotten when once heard. We had an Australian 

 staying with us on leave last year. He was considerably startled 

 to be greeted by " Jack's " laugh. " Hullo!" he exclaimed, 

 " a I^aughing Jackass licrc ! " And he felt at home at once ! 



