458 THE BELTED KINGFISHER. 



of six or eight birds seen in August or early in September does not 

 mean that Kingfisher is indulging in mid-summer gaities with his fellows, 

 but only that the family group of that season has not yet been broken up. 



The Kingfisher is not only a fresh water bird of wide distribution, but 

 a lover of the sea. It is found thruout the length of our ample shores on 

 both sound and ocean ; but is, of course, most common where suitable nesting 

 bluffs of clay or sand are afforded. Thruout western Washington the bird 

 is largely resident, and if this very stable species ever does begin to show 

 variation, it will be in the Pacific Northwest. 







