THS KINGFISHER'S HJU^JTS 23 



The sandpiper that starts up with sudden cry has vanished 

 round the bend of the river almost before the white 

 flicker of its tail-coverts caught the eye. 



Farther on, where, under grey-headed pollards whose 

 slender branches meet from either bank, a ridge of brown 

 pebbles breaks the silence of the stream, are the ruins of 

 a weir. The faint sound of footsteps in the grass is 

 silenced altogether by the music of the ripples, and your 

 coming is unnoticed by the kingfisher that stands on the 

 old stonework, with mind intent upon the stream. So 

 near he is that you may easily discern his long sharp 

 bill, the streak of orange past his eye, the warm red of 

 his breast, the green spangles on his crown, the mar- 

 vellous sheen of the blue over his tail. Suddenly from 

 round the curve sails a bright gleam of green and azure. 

 The new-comer is aware of danger. At her loud warning 

 cry her mate flies down ; and side by side above their 

 image in the smooth brown water the two birds swiftly 

 skim the stream and vanish round the grey veil of the 

 trees. 



