22 THE RIVER-SIDE NATURALIST. 



cravens to the kite and the crow. High-born dames and 

 lovely damsels of the days of chivalry were compared by 

 the minstrels to some fair feathered denizens of the air or 

 woods. In time of war the noble or the knight placed the 

 effigy of an eagle or a falcon on his helmet in token of his 

 high bearing and courage. In time of peace he held the 

 living falcon on his gloved wrist, while his dame was 

 accompanied by the merlin or the hobby. 



In Guillim's " English Heraldry " birds and parts of 

 birds enter largely as heraldic devices. Eagles, eagles' 

 heads, falcons, swans, cygnets, wild ducks, geese, sea-mews, 

 shovellers, cormorants, storks, kingfishers, owls, ravens, 

 pelicans, pheasants, bustards, choughs, swallows, martletts, 

 turtle-doves, and many others were used as crests and 

 supporters to arms. 



Birds figure as crests in many a noble family. The 

 Belmores have a cock, the Boileaus a pelican, the Bridports 

 a chough, the Cawdors a swan, the Cannings a cormorant, 

 Chelmsford a dove, Denbigh a nuthatch, Derby an eagle, 

 Falmouth a falcon, Galway a swallow, Leitrim a lark, Lytton 

 a bittern, Mexborough an owl, Strickland a turkey, Temple 

 a martin, and so on through a long list. 



THE KINGFISHER. 



One of the most beautiful of our river-side birds is the 

 KINGFISHER (Alcedo ispidd). Its rapid flight as it passes up 

 or down the stream, " swift as a meteor's shooting flame," 

 prevents a close inspection ; but sometimes, when the bird 

 is perched on some bare branch projecting over the water 

 intently watching for its prey, a chance may occur. It will 

 then be seen with what vivid colours it is clothed. The 

 crown of the head and nape of the neck very dark green, 

 with bars of glossy blue-green ; the wings dark green, 

 upper wing-coverts turquoise blue, back and tail glossy 

 greenish- blue; chin and throat light buff, with two bands 

 of blue and green extending from the base of the bill to 

 the side of the breast ; under parts chestnut, legs reddish. 



