CHAPTER IV 



KINGFISHERS, SCARCITY OF 



1INGFISHERS are said to be growing 

 more and more scarce everywhere. This 

 is partly owing to the fact that they have 

 the credit of being destructive enemies of young 

 trout ; the fact is, they do feed on little fishes, but 

 not so much on trout as on minnows, dace, stickle- 

 backs, miller's thumbs, and even leeches. Last- 

 springs, as they call young salmon on the Wye, 

 also afford them a dainty meal now and then, and 

 the consequence of this is that they find deadly 

 enemies in the water-bailiff and gamekeeper. The 

 brilliant plumage of this interesting bird is also a 

 fertile cause of its destruction, for it is frequently 

 killed for the adornment of ladies' hats ; it also 

 forms a pretty object when stuffed in a glass case ; 

 and anglers themselves find an additional excuse 

 for its slaughter, in that it furnishes them with 

 feathers wherewith to make their daintiest flies. 



I have seen one occasionally on our water, flit- 

 ting, or, rather, flashing, down the stream. It 

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