HOME, SWEET HOME. 2 I J 



with which they pursued their insect prey — inces- 

 santly dipping and breaking the water's surface to 

 obtain a fly — brought home to me many and many a 

 scene in which these darlings of the feathered crea- 

 tion had played a prominent part. 



This bird is not identical with the European 

 species, but so similar to it that few could recognise 

 the difference when either are on the wing. They 

 build their nests in holes perforated in clay banks, 

 or in crevices among the low rocks that adjoin 

 upon the water edge. The home of their offspring 

 is cup-shaped and fashioned out of clay ; the eggs 

 are generally five in number, white, tinged with a 

 slight cinnamon shade, and blotched with dark- 

 brown markings. In this species the iris is very 

 dark-brown, so is the bill, the lower mandible being 

 a shade lighter than the upper one ; the legs and 

 toes are also of the same colour. 



It is strange what trifles bring back thoughts of 

 the land of our birth ; in this instance a little 

 familiar-looking bird transported me in thoughts 

 over thousands of miles of land and water. For 

 the time being my surroundings were banished, and 

 their place supplanted by the pools, stretches, and 

 impetuous rapids of a favourite salmon river, on the 

 banks of which I was in the habit during youth, of 

 spending every spare hour of my leisure time. 

 Travel and foreign experiences make home doubly 

 dear when we are absent from it, but alas ! it has 



