WILD LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 343 



like, enlarging gradually from the point of the beak 

 backwards. The cock bird has the brightest tints. 



In this pool, scooped out by the falling water, swim 

 roach, perch, and sticklebacks, and sometimes a jack ; 

 but the jack usually abides near the edge out of the 

 swirl. Roach are here the kingfisher's most common 

 prey. He chooses those about four inches long by 

 preference, and " daps " on them the moment they 

 come near enough to the surface. But he will occa- 

 sionally land a much larger fish, perhaps almost twice 

 the size, and will carry it to some distance, being 

 remarkably powerful on the wing for so small a bird. 

 The fish is held across the beak, but in flying it some- 

 times seems to be held almost vertically ; and if that 

 is really the case, and not an illusion caused by the 

 swiftness of the flight, the bird must carry its head 

 then a little on one side. If he is only fishing for his 

 own eating, he does not carry his prey farther than 

 a clear place on the bank. A terrace made by the 

 runs of the water-rat is a common table for him, or 

 the path leading to the hatch where it is worn smooth 

 and bare by footsteps. But he prefers to devour his 

 fish either close to the water or in a somewhat open 

 place, and not too near bushes, because while thus 

 on the ground he is not safe. When feeding his 

 young he will carry a fish apparently as long as 

 himself a considerable distance. 



One summer I went several days in succession to 

 a hedge two fields distant from the nearest brook, 

 and hid on the mound with a gun. I had not been 



