Kingfishers' Haunts. 309 



Just in the very angle was an old disused sawpit, 

 formed by enlarging the ditch, and made some years 

 before for the temporary convenience of sawing up a 

 few heavy ' sticks ' of timber that were thrown there- 

 abouts. The sawpit, to prevent accidents to cattle, 

 was roughly covered over with slabs of wood, which 

 practically roofed it in, and of course darkened the 

 interior. It was in the sawpit that the kingfishers 

 had their nest in what appeared to be a hole partly 

 excavated by a rabbit. The distance from the hatch 

 and brook was about four hundred yards, so that the 

 parent birds had to carry the fish they captured nearly 

 a quarter of a mile. The sawpit, too, was close 

 to a lane used a good deal, though sheltered by a 

 thick hedge from the observation of those who 

 passed. 



In another case I knew of, the kingfishers built in 

 a mound overhanging a small stagnant and muddy 

 pond, in which there were no fish, and which was 

 within twenty paces of a farmhouse. The house was 

 situate on a hill about three -hundred yards from the 

 nearest running stream. This little pond was full in 

 wet weather only, and was constantly used by the 

 horses, the cattle in the field that came almost up to 

 the door, and by the tame ducks. Beside the pond 

 was a wood pile, and persons were constantly passing 

 it to and fro. Yet the kingfishers built there and 

 reared their young ; and this not only for one season, 

 but for several years in succession. They had to 

 bring all the fish they captured up from the brook, 

 over the garden, and to pass close to the house. 

 Why they should choose such a place is not easily 

 explained, seeing that so many apparently more suit- 



