Kingfishers. 1 5 



Blue is the prevailing tint of the bird as he flies 

 from you : it is seldom that you see him coming 

 towards you ; but should that happen, the tint 

 that you chiefly notice is the rich chestnut of the 

 throat and breast. One Sunday morning, as I 

 was standing on the Cherwell bank just below the 

 Botanic Garden, a Kingfisher, failing to see me, 

 flew almost into my arms, shewing this chestnut 

 hue ; then suddenly wheeled, and flashed away all 

 blue and green, towards Magdalen Bridge. I 

 have seen a Kingfisher hovering like a dragon-fly 

 or humming-bird over a little sapling almost un- 

 derneath the bridge by which you enter Addison's 

 Walk. Possibly it was about to strike a fish, but 

 unluckily it saw me and vanished, piping shrilly. 

 The sight was one of marvellous beauty, though 

 it lasted but a few seconds. 



One story is told about the Kingfisher, which I 

 commend to those who study the varying effects 

 of colours on the eye. Thompson, the famous 

 Irish naturalist, was out shooting when snow was 

 lying on the ground, and repeatedly saw a small 

 brown bird in flight, which entirely puzzled him ; 

 at last he shot it, and found it to be a Kingfisher 



