92 COMMON KINGFISHER. 



spot for no other purpose than to eject this matter 

 for some time before the female begins to lay; and 

 that they dry it by the heat of their bodies, as 

 they are frequently observed to continue in the 

 hole for hours, long before they have eggs. On 

 this matter the female lays to the number of seven 

 eggs, which are all perfectly white and transparent, 

 of a short oval form, weighing about one dram.'* 

 Colonel Montagu adds, that he coujd never ob- 

 serve the old birds with any thing in their bills 

 when they went in to feed their young; from which 

 it may be concluded that they eject from their sto- 

 mach for that purpose. 



The general manners of the Kingfisher are well 

 detailed by Mr. Pennant, who observes that it 

 frequents the banks of rivers, and feeds on fish. 

 To compare small things with great, says Mr. 

 Pennant, it takes its prey after the manner of the 

 Osprey, balancing itself at a certain distance over 

 the water for a considerable space; then darting 

 below the surface, brings up the prey in its feet. 

 He adds, that while it remains thus suspended in 

 air in a bright day, the plumage exhibits a most 

 beautiful variety of the most dazzling and brilliant 

 colours; a particularity which did not escape the 

 notice of the ancients. In Mr. Bewick's elegant 

 work, before quoted, we find a similar account of 

 this attitude of the Kingfisher. " It is difficult, 

 says this writer, to conceive why ornithologists 

 have classed the Kingfisher with land birds, as its 

 habits and manner of living are wholly confined 

 to the waters, on the margins of which, it will sit, 



