182 FAMILIAEITY OF THE KINGFISHER 



process of time he met with a mate .and founded a family after the usual Kingfisher 

 fashion. But he soon discovered that it was easier to supply his family with food by 

 resorting to his kind friends and asking them for fish, than by spending time and trouble 

 in capturing fish for himself 



One of these birds became self-tamed, if such an expression may be used, and was 

 remarkably familiar with the person to whom it owed its self-acknowledged allegiance. 

 The association began as follows : — 



A young man was fishing in a preserved stream, and had caught, as is sometimes the 

 case, a very Httle fish instead of the trout which he was endeavouring to capture. He 

 took the insignificant prey off the hook and flung it towards the river, intending to return 

 it to the water. His aim, however, was not a good one, and the fish fell upon the bank 

 instead of reaching the stream, and was immediately pounced upon by a Kingfisher that 

 shot unexpectedly through the air. Being rather amused at so bold a proceeding, the 

 angler threw the next little fish on the grass, and had the pleasure of seeing the bird 

 come and seize it as before. By degrees the bird became niore and more familiar, until, 

 encouraged by impunity, it would snatch up a fish within a yard of the angler, and after 

 swallowing it or carrying it home, would perch on a neighbouring bough and wait for 

 more. 



After a while the angler bethought himself of accompanying each fish with a peculiar 

 cry, and in a very short time the bird understood the call, and would come whenever it 

 was uttered. This strange friendship endured for upwards of three years, but the idtimate 

 fate of the bird I have not lieen able to discover. It never would take the fish out of the 

 hand, but was iii every other way so exceedingly tame that the keepers were utterly 

 astounded, the possibility of taming a wild bird never having entered their dull heads. 



Many yoimg Kingfishers have been successfully reared from the nest, and seem to be 

 hardy little birds, provided that they are furnished with a very large supj)ly of minnows 

 and other small fish. The number of fish which a single bird will consume is almost 

 incredible, for its voracity is so great and its digestion so rapid that it causes no small 

 trouble to the owner in insuring a proper supply of food. 



The Kingfisher is a very solitary bird, never assembling in flocks, and seldom being 

 seen except when single. Sometimes it has been observed to engage in aerial sports with 

 a companion, and it frequently happens that the two parent birds are seen in company, or 

 that the whole family sits amicably upon the same branch. With these exceptions, 

 however, the Kingfisher is remarkably eremitical in its habits, and appears to suffer 

 no rival establishment near the spot where it has fixed its home. It is, however, a very 

 affectionate bird to its family, and a very remarkable instance of its loving nature has 

 been recorded by a correspondent of the Field newspaper, who saw a female Kingfisher 

 fly to the aid of her mate when shot, and picking him up by his bill, endeavour to carry 

 him to a place of safety. The poor bh'd was unable to carry her wounded mate more 

 than a few yards, but the affectionate unselfishness of the act is as praiseworthy as if she 

 had succeeded in her attempt. 



The voice of the Kingfisher is a peculiarly shrill and piping cry, that can be heard at 

 some distance, and is not easily mistaken for any other sound. 



The colour of this bird is very gorgeous, and rather complicated in its arrangement. 

 The top of the head and back of the neck are dark green, flecked with many spots 

 of verditer blue upon the tips of the feathers. The upper part of the back is also dark 

 green, and the lower part is light violet or blue, gleaming vividly under a strong light, 

 and being very conspicuous as the bird is on the wing. The tail is deep indigo, and the 

 quill feathers of the wing are dark blackish-green, lightened by a brighter hue of green 

 on the outer webs, and set off by the verditer-blue spots of the tertiaries. A white patch 

 or streak passes from the eye to the back of the neck, and a dark green streak is drawn 

 immediately under the white patch. The throat and chin are yellowish-white, and the 

 whole of the under surface is chestnut. The eyes are crimson, and the bill is black, with 

 the exception of the orange-tinted base of the lower mandible. The total length of the 

 bird is about seven inclies. 



Brilliant as is the plumage of this bird, and unmistakable as the varied colouring 



