Birds of Oregon and Washington 171 



and short legs, but he has a noble, fine flight, 

 and great swiftness and skill in his fishing, which 

 saves him from the charge of being awkward. 

 His running, rattling, and somewhat hard cry, 

 as he takes his flight, all must know, who know 

 the bird at all. 



We need to admire him more on account of 

 his splendid color, and to know him better on 

 account of his habits. We should watch him 

 as he catches, and see with what great difficulty 

 he sometimes swallows, his fish. We must 

 swear, too, that we will protect him against the 

 monopoly assumed by man of the fishes in our 

 streams. The Kingfisher was by these rivers 

 before man arrived. And he has his inalienable 

 and divine rights, even if he makes serious havoc 

 with the fish in the rivers. But the Kingfishers 

 are not numerous enough or voracious enough 

 to rob man of his privilege, even if they do 

 maintain their right to eat their only natural 

 food. These birds make their nests in river- 

 banks, as does the Bank Swallow. 



PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION. Male : Head, large 

 and crested ; bill, long and strong ; white spot in front of 

 eye ; chin, throat and band around neck, white ; back, 



