GIANT KINGFISHER OR " LAUGHING JACKASS." 147 



CHAPTER CXXXVII. 



GIANT KINGFISHER OR " LAUGHING JACKASS." 



(Dacelo gigas, Leach.) 



The so-called Laughing Jackass is so familiar to Aus- 

 tralians that a description is hardly necessary. It is 

 well-known as a destroyer of lizards, young snakes, and 

 small birds. It is also partial to chickens, and especially 

 to young turkeys, which it kills by a smart peck on the 

 back of the head. 



The Laughing Jackass is also known as a Kingfisher ; 

 why, I could never ascertain, as it does not fish, unless it 

 be that it belongs to the same sub- order of birds as the 

 Azure Kingfisher, which is one of the prettiest of our 

 native birds. 



The Kookaburra is another name by which this quaint- 

 looking bird is known. 



The adult bird, as Mr. Campbell describes, is about 

 18 inches in length, including tail 5j inches, and bill 

 3 inches. It has a dusky back and wings, some part of 

 the wings being relieved with markings of blue ; the tail 

 is brownish, and barred with black. 



The eggs, which are white, and three to four in a clutch, 

 are usually deposited in the spout of a limb, but more 

 frequently in a hole in the butt of the tree, and not very 

 high, as a rule, from the ground. The young are fluffy 

 little chaps, and make a great noise, which frequently 

 betrays their otherwise secure whereabouts. The eggs are 

 generally not difficult to find, and the egg robber may 

 pursue his calling with safety, whereas had it been, say, 

 a Black- cheeked Falcon, the nest would not have been 

 robbed without a vigorous protest on the part of the birds , 

 both male and female. 



