£84 TH£ KING-FISHER. 



sea-needle, it has since been found to be a mistake ; 

 for though the kingfisher lives entirely upon fish, it is 

 incapable of digesting the smallest bones, but throw* 

 them up again, and half fills its nest. 



The female lays from five to nine eggs ; and if her 

 nest is robbed will return to it again, replenish it with 

 the same number of eggs, and sit as contentedly as if 

 she had not been disturbed. She begins to lay early 

 in the season, and the young generally are hatched 

 about the beginning of April ; whilst the male, whose 

 fidelity exceeds even that of the turtle's, daily supplies 

 her with a large portion of food. The young ones are 

 hatched at the expiration of twenty days, but differ in 

 beauty as much as size. 



Having thus given a short History of Birds, we can- 

 not take leave of this beautiful part of the creation 

 without feeling a degree of reluctance at having com- 

 pleted the task. These splendid inhabitants of the air 

 possess all those qualities that can cheer the fancy and 

 amuse the mind ; the brightest colours, the roundest 

 forms, the most active manners, and the sweetest 

 sounds. In sending the imagination in pursuit of these, 

 in following them to the chirruping grove, the scream- 

 ing precipice, or the glossy deep, the mind is naturally 

 lost to a sense of its own situation, and, attentive to 

 their little sports, almost forgets the task it undertakes. 

 Innocently to amuse the imagination, in this dream of 

 life, is wisdom ; and nothing is useless, that, by fur- 

 nishing mental employment, keeps for a while in obli- 

 vion those stronger appetites that lead to evil. Every 

 rank and state of life may find something to imitate in 

 those delightful inhabitants of the grove ; and we may 

 not only employ our time, but mend our lives by the 

 contemplation. From their courage in defence of 



