THE COMMON KINGFISHER. BIRDS. THE PIED KINGFISHER. 



297 



Bight ; then he dashes instantly down upon it, and so 

 rapid are his movements, and so unerring his aim, that 

 he rarely fails in his attack. Sometimes he is seen 

 to hover over a particular point of the surface of 

 the water, waiting for the favourable moment to make 

 his plunge ; but when the prey is caught, he always 

 makes his way back to his post of observation, and 

 then swallows his victim head-foremost, usually crush- 

 ing it first, to prevent struggles during this operation. 

 Although so strictly aquatic in its habits, the King- 

 fisher remains in this country throughout the year, but 

 in severe weather it has been known to quit the 

 inland fresh waters, and to resort to the sea-shore. 



The Kingfisher is a solitary and pugnacious bird, 

 living in pairs during the breeding season, but rarely 

 allowing any neighbours of its own species. It dwells 

 in holes in the banks of the streams which it frequents, 

 and these are said to be usually the deserted burrows 

 of the water rat, or of other Mammals. Whether the 

 Kingfisher ever digs its own buiTow is still uncertain ; 

 but it would appear not improbable that it may do so 

 occasionally ; and on taking possession of the deserted 

 domicile of some other animal, it seems always to 

 make some alterations to suit its abode to its own 

 purposes. The floor of this retreat is always covered 

 with the disgorged bones of the small fishes devoured 

 by the birds, and it is upon these that the eggs are 

 laid. The eggs are of a pinkish tint, and vary between 

 five and seven in number. When the young are 

 hatched, the parents feed them by disgorging the fishes 

 and other animals which they have captured; and they 

 continue to supply the wants of their offspring in the 

 same manner for some time after they are able to 

 leave the nest. The note of the Kingfisher is shrill 

 and piping ; it is frequently emitted when the bird is 

 on the wing. 



We have still to notice some curious superstitions 

 which prevailed in ancient times, and some which 

 have even come down to our own day, in connection 

 with this bird. The Greeks and Romans, naturalists 

 as well as poets, believed that the Kingfisher built a 

 floating nest, and that the elements were so kind to 

 her, that during the period of incubation, no storms 

 arose to disturb her in her work, or render her situa- 

 tion perilous. Hence, it was supposed that the waters 

 always remained smooth during the period in which 

 the Kingfisher was engaged in hatching her eggs, and 

 that the mariner might safely venture on the uncertain 

 element which was the scene of his calling, without 

 any fear of meeting with untoward accidents in his 

 course. Indeed, so far did some of the old poets carry 

 their credulity, that they actually believed the bird to 

 have some secret power of stilling the waves. From 

 these circumstances the term " Halcyon days," applied 

 to the supposed period of incubation of this bird, came 

 to be regarded as synonymous with calm, and it is 

 still frequently used metaphorically, to express a dur- 

 ation of quiet happiness. These ancient notions are 

 frequently referred to also by our older English poets. 

 Some of the more modern superstitions with regard to 

 this bird, seem to have a certain connection with its 

 ! supposed influence over the weather. Thus it is 

 believed in some places, that a Kingfisher, suspended 

 VOL. I. 



by its bill, will always turn its breast to the north ; and 

 that if accurately balanced and suspended by a single 

 thread from its back, its bill will point in the direction 

 of the wind, even when it is kept in-Joors. Some of the 

 other notions entertained about the Kingfisher are 

 still more absurd; its head and feathers have been 

 regarded as a protection against witchcraft, and as a 

 certain means of securing the affections of a coy 

 mistress. 



THE INDIAN KINGFISHER (Alcedo bengalcnsis), a 

 common species in most parts of India, is very nearly 

 allied to our European kingfisher, which it also re- 

 sembles in its habits. It frequents the brooks and 

 rivers, excavating its burrows for the purpose of nidifi- 

 cation in the steep banks and in mud walls. Its food 

 consists of small fishes and aquatic insects, and it is 

 often seen perched on a stick in the paddy fields 

 watching for its prey in the shallow water. 



THE BIRU KINGFISHER (Alcedo Birii) is common 

 in Java, where it follows the same mode of life as its 

 European relative. Dr. Horsfield describes it as dart- 

 ing in short rapid flights along the surface of the water, 

 emitting from time to time a note so shrill and piercing 

 as to be very disagreeable to the hearer. It is also 

 often seen perched on trees on the banks of rivulets, 

 and its food, like that of the two preceding species, 

 consists of small fishes and insects. 



THE AZURE KINGFISHER (Alcyone azurea), a very 

 abundant species in Australia, especially in its southern 

 and south-eastern parts, belongs to a genus which is 

 principally distinguished from that including our Euro- 

 pean species, by the existence of only three toes in 

 each foot, the outer toe being entirely deficient. It 

 is rather a larger bird than our common kingfisher; 

 the whole upper part is of a fine ultramarine blue 

 colour, the wings are black, the lower surface is ferru- 

 ginous orange, becoming nearly white on the throat; 

 a line of the same colour runs from the base of the bill 

 to the eye, and there is a tuft of yellowish- white 

 feathers on each side of the neck. 



It is found along the margins of brooks and ponds, 

 where it perches on the bare branch of a tree over- 

 hanging the water, dashing down from its resting-place 

 upon the small fishes which pass underneath it. Dur- 

 ing the breeding season, which commences in August, 

 the male is very pugnacious, and at all times this King- 

 fisher is a solitary bird. The burrow of the bird, like 

 that one of our British species, is made in the bank of 

 the stream, and its floor is occupied by the bones of 

 fishes disgorged by the inhabitants. 



THE PIED KINGFISHER (Ceryle rudis) belongs to 

 a genus also closely allied to Alcedo, and agreeing with 

 it in the number and arrangement of the toes, but dis- 

 tinguishable at once by the great stoutness of its short 

 tarsi. The Pied Kingfisher is found abundantly in 

 India, and thence westward to Africa, extending its 

 range, according to some statements, even as far as the 

 Cape of Good Hope. Specimens also occasionally 

 cross from North Africa, where the bird is very com- 

 mon, into some of the southern countries of Europe, 

 such as Spain and Sicily. 



The Pied Kingfisher is about the size of the song- 

 thrush, measuring rather more than eight inches in 



2 P 



