T8 THE KINGFISHER, 



by repeatedly putting in an egg to the young Cuckoo j 

 which he always found to be disposed of ii! :^ biiOiiaT 

 manner. 



THE KINGFISHER. (Alcedo i^tda.) 



This bird is nearly as small as a common sparrow, but 

 the head and beak appear proportionally too big for the 

 body. The bright blue of the back and wings claims our 

 admiration, as it changes into deep purple or lively green, 

 according to the angles of light under which the bird pre- 

 sents itself to the eye. It is generally seen on the banks 

 of rivers, for the purpose of seizing small fish, on which it 

 subsists, and which it takes in amazing quantities, by 

 balancing itself at a distance above the water for a certain 

 time, and then darting on the fish with unerring aim. It 

 dives perpendicularly into the water, where it continues 

 several seconds, and then brings up the fish, which it car- 

 ries to the land, beats to death, and afterwards swallows. 

 When the bird cannot find a projecting bough, it sits on 

 some stone near the brink, or even on the gravel ; but the 

 moment it perceives the fish, it takes a spring upwards of 

 twelve or fifteen feet, and drops from that height upon it« 

 pwy. 



