BELTED KINGFISHER. 349 
otten seen in maritime districts, where it obtains much of its food from 
salt water. It is a very unsociable bird, and rarely more than one is seen 
at a time, even in the breeding-season. Lach pair seem to have their 
recognized beat and favourite perching-places, from which all intruders 
are jealously driven off. They are most frequently seen sitting on some 
convenient stump, rock, or other “coign of ’vantage,” eagerly on the 
look-out for prey in the water below. Swift-flowing streams, particularly 
those having hard clayey perpendicular banks, are said by Wilson to be 
the favourite haunts of this bird. Its flight is rapid, and it passes along 
the winding stream a little distance above the water, sometimes pausing to 
hover for a moment with rapidly-beating wings above some school of fry, 
and then perching for a little while on a dead branch or some overhanging 
beugh, where it sits glancing here and there, scanning closely the turbulent 
flood, or preening its plumage after a successful plunge. In the non- 
breeding-season the Belted Kingfisher often wanders far in search of food, 
and is said to pass from one stream to another in a direct line, flying over 
the intermediate forests. Its flight is performed by a series of rapid beats, 
followed by a smooth gliding motion. 
The usual note of the Belted Kingfisher, uttered when the bird is dis- 
turbed or flying from place to place, or when about to plunge into the water 
after a fish, is a very singular one, resembling, according to Mr. Gosse, the 
word churr, but likened by most American ornithologists to the noise made 
by awatchman’s rattle. It is said to utter this weird harsh cry at all hours 
of the day and night, especially the latter during the breeding-season, and 
whenever it returns to its nest with food for its young or sitting mate. 
I found the Belted Kingfisher very common at Millwaukee. On the 
shore of the lake at the foot of the bluff there was a wooden break- 
water and a pier. A pair of these birds were almost always to be seen, 
generally perched on the wooden edge of the pier. They sat very upright, 
almost like a Guillemot, with the tail flat on the ground. I never saw 
them walk or run. However short a distance they wanted to go, they 
seemed always to fly. ‘The flight is very different from that of our King- 
fisher, more like that of a Nutcracker or a Jay. Their wings are powerful, 
aud they can fly deliberately. They do not fly as straight as our species, 
but the flight can scarcely be called undulatory. They are very fond of 
chasing each other, and then double and turn with great rapidity, usually 
uttering a harsh grating scream. Sometimes they hover over the water 
like a Tern. Sometimes they plunge after fish, appearing to strike the 
water at an angle, and occasionally disappear altogether beneath the 
surface for a second or two. On the banks of the rivers or in the park by 
the margin of the lake I saw them watch for fish from the branch of a 
tree. Jf a stump is near the water they often choose it as a perch. They 
are not shy, and can very easily be shot. 
