starting at the same instant with a plunge 

 into the riffles and a rush back to goal. 

 Then their object was as clear as the stream 

 below them. With plenty to eat and never 

 a worry in the world, they were playing a 

 game to see which could first get back to his 

 perch and swallow his fish. Sometimes one 

 or two of them failed to get a fish and glided 

 back dejectedly ; sometimes all three w^ere so 

 close together that it took a deal of jabber to 

 straighten the matter out; and they always 

 ended in the same way, by beginning all 

 over again. 



Koskomenos is a solitary fellow, with few 

 pleasures, and fewer companions to share 

 them with him. This is undoubtedly the re- 

 sult of his peculiar fishing regulations, which 

 give to each kingfisher a certain piece of lake 

 or stream for his own. Only the young of 

 the same family go fishing together; and so 

 I have no doubt that these were the same 

 birds whose early training I had watched, 

 and who were now enjoying themselves in 

 their own way, as all the other Wood Folk 

 do, in the fat, careless, happy autumn days. 



