WOOD AND AVASTE •'>•> 



On October 15tli I find noted in my 

 diary, "Kingfishers in fowl run." In this 

 most nnromantie spot stood an old dead 

 pine bole. On it the Kingfishers now started 

 their bores, tearing off great sheets of its 

 outer bark in their eager efforts to ]3ene- 

 trate the rotten layer beneath. Here, in 

 spite of the hen house door being five feet 

 distant, in spite of the daily feeding of 

 fowls and collection of eggs — the latter in 

 itself surely an outrage on a wild bird's 

 feelings — regardless, too, of the cow bail 

 also within a few yards, the work of 

 boring proceeded. Alas! here again condi- 

 tions were unpropitious, the several tunnels 

 all striking a hard inner rind of sound 

 timber. 



On November 1st my diary records, 

 "Kingfishers still hanging about." The poor 

 birds were restless and unsatisfied, evidently 

 seeking everywhere for a suitable site and 

 visiting, sometimes one and sometimes an- 

 other of the discarded holes. 



On November 16th they "left the home- 

 stead," moving some hundred yards away 

 to the vieinitv of the woolshed. Here in 



