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Ireland, but chiefly in the lowland districts. Owing to the persecution it has suffered, its 
bright plumage being greatly sought after both for decorative purposes and for the making 
of artificial flies, it has greatly decreased in numbers of later years, and it is one of our birds 
that especially needs and deserves protection. 
IV. Food. 
Small fry of various kinds of fish, minnows, sticklebacks, etc., dragon-flies, water beetles, 
and aquatic insects of various kinds. 
V. Characteristics. 
In general habits it is somewhat solitary, a single pair frequenting the stream or the 
portion of the stream where they have taken up their quarters, and they evidently resent the 
intrusion of others on their domain. They frequent streams, brooks, and rivers—especially 
where the banks are wooded and the current is not too rapid—ponds, lakes, and even the sea- 
shore. The flight of this bird is direct and very swift, performed with very quick beats of the 
wings. It will sit for long on a branch or any other suitable perch over the water, and 
when a small fish passes will plunge suddenly in the water, rarely missing its prey. It 
deposits its eggs—which are glossy white, roundish in form, five to seven in number, and 
measuring 0°75 by 0:57 in size—on the small fish bones and exuvie cast up by the birds, at the 
end of a hole in a bank, which is generally about four feet long, narrower at the entrance, and 
widened considerably at the end which forms the nest chamber. 
VI. Protection. 
Wild Birds Act, 1880.—This bird appears in the Schedule, which applies to every 
County in England, Scotland, and Ireland. Any owner, occupier, or other person taking, 
killing, etc., a Kingfisher during close season,* or possessing or selling a Kingfisher after 
15th March, is liable to a penalty of £1 for each bird. 
Wild Birds Act, 1894.—The eggs are protected at present (1896) in the following 
Counties, or specified breeding areas in Counties :+— 
Enatanp:—I. Cumberland; Durham; Northumberland; Westmoreland ; Yorks, 
E. Riding; specified breeding area, Promontory of Spurn, including Kilnsea Warren. 
II. Bedford, Cambridge ; specified breeding area, Wicken Sedge Fen ; Chester ; specified 
breeding area, Hundred of Wirrall; Derby; Gloucester; Huntingdon; Leicester ; 
Lincoln; Kesteven and Lindsey; Norfolk; specified breeding areas; Northampton ; 
Stafford ; Warwick; East Suffolk; specified breeding area; West Suffolk; Worcester. 
III. Devon; Hertford; Isle of Wight; Kent; Metropolitan Police District Gncluding 
London, and Middlesex), Southampton. 
WateEs :—Brecon; Glamorgan ; Pembroke. 
Scornanp :—Berwick; Dumfries; Elgin; Haddington; Kirkcudbright ; Wigtown. 
* Generally from 1st March to 31st July ; but in some counties from 1st February to 31st August in each 
year. A further period may be obtained through the Act of 1896, as in Middlesex. 
+ It is expected that other counties will before long obtain similar orders of protection under the 
Act of 1894. 
