116 THE NATURAT.IST. 



visible j)uints of material difference in the sexes of every species of bird 

 and quadruj)ed that exist upon the face of this terrestrial ball of clay ; 

 it is these not very easily distinguished characteristics, in some species, 

 I wish to bring before the readers of " The Naturalist ;" why one species 

 should have such readily distinguishing marks of identity, as to sex, 

 whilst others (even of the same genus) at the same time are almost 

 entirely beyond the penetrating vision of observant man. I have no 

 backwardness in averring that the all-wise and omniscient hand of their 

 Creator, has a particular design in thus giving to some as it were a glaring 

 stamp of identity in this matter, andleaving others scarcely to be recognised ; 

 this part of Nature's economy I leave for other hands than mine to solve, 

 and proceed with my subject. 



The first species named in my notes is that beautiful and indigenous 

 bird, Alcedo ispida. (I cannot refrain from here expressing my grief 

 at reading the attempts now being made to kill this bird, upon almost 

 all our waters, from the cause as their persecutors state that they 

 destroy so many young fish.) — Vide Field.* I would say oh Angler — not 

 woodman — spare that bird. The Kingfisher is a particular favourite 

 with me, I love to see him dart along the meandering stream, or 

 sit poised and stately upon some favourite over-hanging twig or stump. 

 It was this partiality, in the first instance, led me to practically discover 

 as much as I was able df its history, habits, and more especially the 



* The article to which our correspondent refers, is one by Mr. Frank Buckland, 

 which appeared in a recent number of the Field. We copy it verbatim : — " The most 

 destructive things in the work! to young fish are Kingfishers (?) Not long ago, I was 

 staying at a friend's house, near Canterbury. He had hatched a great number of fish, from 

 eggs I had given last year, and turned them out into a pond in his garden. The fish, 

 however, kept continually disappearing. The cause could in no way be ascertained till at 

 last it was found out that some Kingfishers had discovered the whereabouts of the little 

 fish, and were picking them out fast, one after the other, as children do solitary plums 

 out of a school cake. It is, however, a sad thing for the Kingfisher that they have 

 become fashionable among ladies ; their skins are therefore very valuable to adorn 

 ladies' hats. A day or two ago I met a man in a punt on the Thames, whose special 

 mission was to destroy Kingfishers. He had one, a beauty, and had two shots at 

 others. They were going, he told me, to London, to be made into ornaments for ladies' 

 hats. It seems a very great pity to destroy these little birds ; but ladies' fashions rule 

 the day. They have already, by making them fashionable, nearly utterly destroyed the 

 black monkey on the West Coast of Africa. The skins of the Himalayan Pheasant are 

 getting very dear. Sea Otters have retired to the Arctic Circle, and now the Kingfisher's 

 turn has come : and if this continues, the Kingfisher will become shortly a rare British 

 bird." We trust our lady readers will take the hint, and refrain from using those 

 adornments which never appear so beautiful as when worn by their natural owners. — 

 Eds. 



