THE KINGFISHER AND ITS HOME 53 



and it was surprising what a number of 

 large fish the hungry young devoured. 

 The entrance hole was small, just large 

 enough to admit the bird comfortably, 

 and when one entered it was only inside 

 about twelve seconds, and always came 

 out tail first ! No doubt the space 

 occupied by the nest was filled with the 

 quickly growing young, and when they 

 saw their parent arriving with a fish 

 there was a scuffle to get it, for a great 

 noise went on each time one of the birds 

 entered. There was evidently no room 

 in the hole for the bird to turn, and 

 so it had to back out ; it certainly looked 

 very curious to see the birds leaving 

 like this. When the young were small 

 they came out beak first, showing that 

 they had room to turn round. 



About a month after they had left 

 their shells, the five young came out 

 into the sunlight, and what a contrast it 

 must have all been to the damp, dark 



