110 LIFE-HISTORIES OF BIRDS 



throughout the months of January and February, along 

 streams in secluded, sheltered localities. It is eminently un- 

 social, and is always to be found in pairs, though the sexes 

 are seldom together. Its favorite resorts are our small 

 streams and ponds, where perched upon a rotten limb close- 

 by, it awaits with anxious expectation its finny prev, which 

 it captures with considerable skill, and instantly swallows 

 on emerging from its bath : the indigestible parts, such as 

 the scales and bones, being ejected from the stomach. Un- 

 like the same species in the East, it has never been known 

 to place itself on a familiar footing with man. by breeding 

 along his principal thoroughfares. 



The crv of this bird is loud and harsh, and greatly re- 

 sembles the noise made by a watchman's rattle. It is uttered 

 while moving from place to place, always oil being disturbed, 

 and even sometimes when he is about to plunge into the 

 water for a fish. But especially is it heard at night, when 

 the male-bird is returning to the nest with food for his mate 

 and young. 



Although this Kingfisher is decidedly piscivorous, an 

 examination of its stomach shows that it is insectivorous to 

 a slight degree. The remains of Hyrsolepis cornittns* and 

 other fishes, with those of Formica sati guinea, ('ambus 

 ligatus, Than crocl cms sanguineus, ( ratoiivc/ms cinereus^ 

 and a caterpillar which I took to be Arctia Isabella,, or 

 one closely allied thereto. 



They nest in holes which they excavate in the sides ot 

 ponds, streams, or cliffs, in close proximity to water. A very 

 common place with us, is in sandy cuttings along railroads, 

 where we have often seen them in the spring-time, feasting 

 upon small tadpoles and the black-nosed dace which are 

 denizens of the small streams which are occasionally found 

 along the sides of the track. These burrows are ordinarily 

 placed in dry ground sufficiently high to be beyond the reach 

 of inundations. They are the labor of both birds, who work 

 by turns, with remarkable diligence and rapidity until the 



