8" HOURS WifH NATURE; 



round white eggs : they have been known to ilse fish 

 bones as bedding for their nests. 



KINGFISHERS IN MYTHOLOGY 1 . 



Kingfishers were well-known to the ancients, and 

 stories half mythical, half superstitious, have gathered 

 round these royal but familiar birds, It is said that 

 Alcyone married Ceyx, who was drowned in a storm 

 while going to consult the oracle. Alcyone being ap- 

 prised in a dream of her husband's fate, and having dis- 

 covered his body washed ashore on the morrow, threw 

 herself into the sea, and was with her husband trans- 

 formed into kingfishers 'Halcyon. They were endowed 

 with the virtue to keep the waters calm for a space of four- 

 teen days while they built and sat on their nest on the 

 surface of the sea. Hence the term " halcyon days," 

 which has reference to this romantic legend of antiquity. 

 Keats probably had this bird in view when he wrote : 



" O magic sleep ; O comfortable bird 

 That broodest o'er the troubled sea of wind 

 Till it is hush'd and smooth." 



THE BOTANIC GARDEN. 



The ancient and stately trees of the Botanic garden 

 were now in view, and in another ten minutes we landed 

 at the jetty lately erected for the convenience of visitors. 

 Having ascended the ghat, we stood for a few minutes 

 opposite the avenue of Oreodoxa palms in order to en- 

 joy and contemplate the magnificent and picturesque 

 beauty of the scenery which surrounded us, but, as we 



