Carrying Fish. . 307 



narrow rail that crosses the hatch about two feet 

 above the water. 



Another perch to which he removes now and then 

 is formed by a branch, dead and leafless, which pro- 

 jects across a corner of the bubbling pool below. 

 He prefers a rail or a dead branch, because it gives 

 him a clearer view and better facilities for diving and 

 snatching up his prey as it swims underneath him. 

 His azure back and wings and ruddy breast are not 

 equalled in beauty of color by any bird native to this 

 country. The long pointed beak looks half as long 

 as the whole bird : his shape is somewhat wedge - 

 like, enlarging gradually from the point of the beak 

 backwards. The cock bird has the brightest tints. 



In this pool scooped out by the falling water swim 

 roach, perch, and sticklebacks, and sometimes a jack ; 

 but the jack usually abides near the edge out of the 

 swirl. Roach are here the kingfisher's most common 

 prey. He chooses those 'about four inches long by 

 preference, and ' daps ' on them the moment they 

 come near enough to the surface. But he will occa- 

 sionally land a much larger fish, perhaps almost twice 

 the size, and will carry it to some distance, being re- 

 markably powerful on the wing for so small a bird. 

 The fish is held across the beak, but in flying it some- 

 times seems to be held almost vertically ; and if that 

 is really the case, and not an illusion caused by the 

 swiftness of the flight, the bird must carry its head 

 then a little on one side. If he is only fishing for his 

 own eating, he does not carry his prey farther than 

 a clear place on the bank. A terrace made by the 

 runs of the water-rat is a common table for him, or 

 the path leading to the hatch where it is worn smooth 



