KINGFISHER. LN 
Rivers, streams, and brooks are the natural resort of this 
king of fishers, but I have known it to frequent a very small 
pond in a field, about a mile from any running water; so 
that the former are not its exclusive haunts. It may be 
seen perched on some dry bough overhanging a stream, from 
whence it glides off on perceiving the approach of an enemy, 
or to procure its food, either by darting on it if passing 
within reach, or, if otherwise, to seek it elsewhere. Not 
unfrequently the sea shore is resorted to for the supply of 
its wants, and this especially in the winter, not so much, as 
I imagine, from its fluviatile resorts being frozen up, as pro- 
bably from the fish having retired at that season into deeper 
water, and the insects being in the chrysalis state. 
In the ‘North Derbyshire Chronicle,’ of February, 1838, 
it is related—‘On Saturday last, a Kingfisher, handsomely 
feathered, was discovered with its claws frozen to the bough 
of a tree, on the canal side near this town. It was quite 
dead; and attached to each claw was a piece of ice.’ 
It appears to be somewhat, locally, migratory at different 
seasons of the year. 
It would seem that the Kingfisher may be kept in con- 
finement if brought up. from the nest, and if a sufficient 
supply of its proper food can at all times be procured for it. 
It is a solitary bird, seen, almost invariably, either in pairs 
or singly. It is also described as being of a pugnacious 
disposition; so that as it takes two parties to make a quarrel, 
the peace is preserved by its habit of isolation. One of these 
birds has been known to alight on the fishing-rod of a ‘brother 
of the angle.’ 
The flight of this bird is rapid, and the wings being short, 
is sustained by their quickly-repeated beating. It is always 
in a straight and horizontal direction, and, for the most part, 
close above the surface of the water. The Rev. W. T. Bree, 
of Allesley, has noticed how tenaciously it keeps in its flight 
over water, as if it felt a greater security in so doing, or in 
case of necessity, »s he has suggested, to be able to submerge 
itself, like the Wild Duck, out of sight. One which was 
alarmed by his presence, and therefore could not have acted 
as it did in search of food, went out of its way to follow 
the windings of a series of brick-ponds. 
The food consists of water insects, crustacea, mollusca, 
leeches, and especially minnows, bleak, young gudgeons, dace, 
and other small fish, which it darts upon, generally with 
