WOOD AND WA8TE 51 



As I have said, this pair and their 

 numerous offspring hung about the policies 

 during the winter, but as spring came on 

 again, disappeared one by one, until at 

 length, in September, only the original 

 pair remained. On the fourth of the 

 month they began to woi-k on the old 

 willow snag, their nesting site of the 

 previous year. 

 It was now that I again and again re- 

 gretted having tampered with the hole in 

 order for purposes of photography to get 

 out the four young nestlings. 



The part removed, though carefidly re- 

 placed and apparently secure, had during 

 the winter shrunk and curled up, and the 

 chamber itself was dank and damp, good 

 enough still, perhaps, for vulgar Starlings 

 and Minahs, but quite unlit for the fas- 

 tidious Kingfisher. 



The pair, now again thinking of n casting, 

 were, I am convinced, identical with the 

 birds of the previous season. 



Readers will be convinced, too, when 

 they hear of the sites attempted, sites no 

 birds would have thought of not thoroughly 



