OUR BIRDS OF PREY. 87 



Anyone who has watched a kingfisher knows how extremely 

 difficult it is to see, through the splashing and the spray raised 

 even by this little bird, exactly what is happening. It seems to 

 me that the kingfisher always picks up the fish from the top of 

 the water, and yet others will stoutly Tnaintain that he dives below 

 it. The Osprey has less reason to dive, seeing that, while the 



THE 1'liREGRINE. 



kingfisher seizes his prey with his bill, he takes his with his 

 feet. 



The Peregrines are found pretty well all over the world. This, 

 which is the falconers' prince of Falcons, is in the eyes of the 

 naturalists one of the bravest birds that fly. Owing to the 

 inaccessible situations it chooses for its nest, the Peregrine is still 



