Kingfishers and their Prey 281 



Another perch to which he removes now and then is 

 formed by a branch, dead and leafless, which projects 

 across a corner of the bubbling pool below. He prefers a 

 rail or a dead branch, because it gives him a clearer view 

 and better facilities for diving and snatching up his prey 

 as it swims underneath him. His azure back and wings 

 and ruddy breast are not equalled in beauty of colour by 

 any bird native to this country. The long pointed beak 

 looks half as long as the whole bird : his shape is some- 

 what wedge-like, enlarging gradually from the point of 

 the beak backwards. The cock bird has the brightest 

 tints. 



In this pool scooped out by the falling water swim 

 roach, perch, and sticklebacks, and sometimes a jack ; but 

 the jack usually abides near the edge out of the swirl. 

 Eoach are here the kingfisher's most common prey. He 

 chooses those about four inches long by preference, and 

 ( daps ' on them the moment they come near enough to 

 the surface. But he will occasionally land a much larger 

 fish, perhaps almost twice the size, and will carry it to 

 some distance, being remarkably powerful on the wing for 

 so small a bird. The fish is held across the beak, but in 

 flying it sometimes seems to be held almost vertically; 

 and if that is really the case, and not an illusion caused 

 by the swiftness of the flight, the bird must carry its head 

 then a little on one side. If he is only fishing for his 

 own eating, he does not carry his prey farther than a clear 

 place on the bank. A terrace made by the runs of the 

 water-rat is a common table for him, or the path leading 

 to the hatch where it is worn smooth and bare by foot- 

 steps. But he prefers to devour his fish either close to 

 the water or in a somewhat open place, and not too near 

 bushes \ because while thus on the ground he is not safe. 



