18 FAMILIAR WILD BIRDS. 



Many luive been the notices from poets of this beauti- 

 fully-pluma^ed bird, Shakespeare having many references 

 to the " Halcyon " ; more especially as these birds were not 

 only imagined to be able to determine the weather, but in 

 case of storm or tempest were supposed to have a cpielling 

 influence over them. We are afraid it is vice versa, and 

 that (as with King Canute) the flooded river would not 

 heed the Kingfisher, but would, doubtless, wreck the King- 

 fisher'sjiest. 



The length of the Kingfisher is about seven inches. 

 The pluniage may be thus described : From the crown 

 of the head, down the neck, and the whole of the upper 

 part, the wings, and tail, are of a brilliant green, shading 

 from olive to iridescent emerald and blue ; from the beak 

 across the eye is a patch of rufous, which becomes white 

 below the ear-coverts; from the base of the beak runs a 

 streak of the above-mentioned glossy green, which meets 

 that upon the wing-coverts. The chin and throat are 

 yellowish-white; the breast and under parts are rufous, 

 deepening in colour as it proceeds towards the tail. The 

 feet are pink and small. The tail is short; but the beak is 

 long and straight.J The plumage is much brighter during 

 the breeding season. The female may be distinguished by 

 her duller hues, and from the l)ill not being so long. 



The ne^t has always been a source of wonder to orni- 

 ihulogists. It is generally jilaced in some hole in a bank 

 overhano^ing a stream, but sometimes placed away from 

 water ; a favourite position is a hole in the bank of some 

 river or stream which has been undermined by the action of 

 the waters, and so affording a somewhat safer retreat from 

 the depredations of the rats that frequent such places. 

 The nest, too, is very peculiar. It would aj)pear to be 



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