THE KINGFISHER 201 



PARTLY USEFUL AND PARTLY INJURIOUS 



KINGFISHER. There is no question of this beautiful bird living 

 chiefly upon fish, and of its destructiveness at fish hatcheries ; there- 

 fore Fish Preservation Societies scruple not to destroy it. This 

 is effected by the Kingfisher Trap (Fig. 117). In setting, screw 

 the trap to a stump in the water where the birds resort, place a piece 

 of wood on the fork for them to alight on, 'or bait with a small fish. 



FIG. 117. LANE'S KINGFISHER TRAP. 



Small nets of a few yards long made of fine black silk, with a small 

 mesh, are used in some parts of the country for taking kingfishers. 

 These nets are placed across a small water-course, particularly 

 where bushes or trees on the banks so overhang as to form a natural 

 arch, or the arch of a bridge, Fig. 118, in such a manner that, a 

 little " slack " being allowed, the bird is taken to a certainty in 

 attempting to pass. In some districts a considerable income is 

 made by persons skilful in setting glade nets not only for taking 

 kingfishers, but other birds. 



HERON. Though heronries are few as compared with former 

 times, some still exist here and there throughout the country, and 

 such good fishers are the birds that river conservators have to take 

 repressive measures and offer reward for herons killed, as by the 

 Exe Conservators in the estuary of the Exe, where much damage 



