ALCEDINID/K. 



269 



THE KINGFISHER. 



Alcedo ispida, Linnaeus. 



The Kingfisher is resident and generally distributed throughout 

 Great Britain as far north as Sutherland, to which it is only a rare 

 visitor ; it also occurs casually as far west as Skye. In Ireland, 

 according to Mr. More, it is found throughout the year, but chiefly 

 in the lowland districts. In few places can it be considered an 

 abundant species ; mainly owing to the fact that it is often shot on 

 account of its bright plumage, but partly to the value of its feathers 

 for dressing artificial flies. The banks of lakes, ponds, and streams 

 of all sizes — provided the current be not too rapid — or even the sea- 

 shore, especially on a rocky coast, are its usual haunts ; and there it 

 may frequently be seen darting in a straight line over the water, or 

 sitting patiently on some convenient perch, where it waits the oppor- 

 tunity for the sudden plunge by which it secures its prey. 



Even in the southern portion of Scandinavia the Kingfisher is of 

 accidental occurrence, though known to have nested there on one 

 occasion ; and to Denmark it is merely a visitor, while in Russia it 

 is rarely found as far north as St. Petersburg. In Northern Germany 

 — where, from its habit of congregating on the ice round any open 

 water, it is known by the name of ' Eisvogel' — it is uncommon; but 



