COMMON KINGFISHER. 93 



for hours together, on a projecting twig or stone; 

 at one while fluttering its wings, and exposing its 

 brilliant plumage to the sun ; at another, hovering 

 in air like the Kestril, it waits the moment when 

 it may seize its prey, on which it darts with almost 

 unerring certainty, often remaining for several se- 

 conds under the water, before it has gained the 

 object of its pursuit ; then brings up the little fisfi, 

 which it carries to the land, beats to death, and 

 swallows." 



The Kingfisher is with great difficulty kept for 

 any length of time in a state of captivity, even 

 when supplied with its proper food. We are in- 

 formed, however, by the Count de Buffon that 

 Monsr. Daubenton, of the Academy of Sciences, 

 led, for some months, a brood of Kingfishers, by 

 means of small fish, put into basons of water. 

 Monsr. de Montbeillard also received in July 

 1771 a brood of young Kingfishers, which at first 

 devoured some small earthworms which were pre- 

 sented to them ; but soon refused this kind of food, 

 and died in the space of a few days. 



The superstition of former times attributed very 

 extraordinary properties to this bird in a dried 

 state; viz. that of preserving clothes from being 

 attacked by moths, if kept in the same drawer; 

 and of shewing the direction of the wind, by turn- 

 ing its breast to the proper point, when suspended 

 by the beak from the ceiling of a room. On this 

 subject a long and learned chapter may be found 

 in the works of the celebrated Sir Thomas Brown, 



