COMMON KINGFISHER. 147 



Common Kingfisher. In brilliancy and variety of 

 colours, no bird which is found in our island can vie 

 with the Kingfisher. It lives entirely on small fish, 

 which it takes with inimitable skill. In places where 

 these are swimming near the surface of the water, it 

 hovers for a few moments over the spot, then, making 

 a sudden dart at them, seldom fails to make good its 

 seizure ; and this operation it repeats, until its hunger 

 is completely satiated. While thus suspended, its daz- 

 zling colours, particularly when the sun shines strong 

 upon it, appear in the greatest brilliancy. This extra- 

 ordinary beauty probably gave rise to the fables which 

 have been related of this bird, under the name of 

 Halcyon. It was believed to build its nest on the 

 water, in tranquil seasons ; and hence the ancient poets 

 have employed the term, " halcyon days," to denote a 

 state of peace and tranquillity. This bird frequents the 

 banks of rivers and streams, forming its nest in a hole 

 in the earth, which it either forms or finds, near the 

 water's edge. The nest is generally at the depth of half 

 a yard, or upwards, from the entrance. The eggs are 

 of a transparent white colour, and it is said, that, during 

 incubation, the female seldom leaves them, but is fed by 

 the male. As soon as they are hatched, the young ones 

 are very voracious, and are regularly fed with fish, by 

 their parents. 



These birds are about the size of a sparrow. Their 

 head and bill appear very large in proportion to the 

 dimensions of their body. The latter is nearly two inches 

 in length, blackish towards the extremity, and yellow 

 about the base of the lower mandible. The top of the 

 head, and the sides of the body, are of a dark green 

 colour, marked with transverse spots of blue. The tail 

 is short, and of a rich blue colour. The other parts of the 



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