COMMON KING FISHER. 391 



is distributed over Ireland with nearly equal 

 frequency. 



The King Fisher is never seen away from the 

 sides of streams or rivers, appearing rather to 

 prefer those of smaller size, not too rapid in their 

 course, and which run through a district partially 

 wooded, having the banks fringed with brushwood. 

 In flight it keeps to the line of the stream, flying 

 with great rapidity, in an undulating motion, and 

 with very quick strokes of the wings, the eye 

 catching the brilliant light of the upper parts, as 

 the turns and windings bring it into sight. When 

 watching for its prey, or when undisturbed, it sits 

 motionless on some projecting branch or dead 

 stake, and calls to remembrance the manner of 

 perching which is seen to run through many of 

 the insect feeding birds, and many of the genera 

 of the Fissirostres. The prey is darted on from 

 the branch or perch, and consists chiefly of small 

 fishes ; to which Temminck adds snails and 

 leaches, &c. The nest is formed in the holes of 

 banks, and is said to be constructed of the cast- 

 ings of the birds, composed of fish bones arranged 

 around, and beaten down. The eggs, six or 

 seven in number, are of a delicate transparent 

 pinkish white. 



On the Continent the King Fisher seems to 

 be also generally, but not plentifully diffused, 

 and probably extends beyond the Asiatic boun- 

 dary, until it is replaced by the Alcedo Asiatica 

 spread over the East India Islands, Japan, and 



