82 THE BIRDS OF CALCUTTA. 



suited for perching than for walking, and all it ever does 

 in the way of pedestrianism is a very short waddle. 



As it is not adapted for hopping about the twigs either, 

 and furthermore has not very long wings, it wisely sits 

 still on whatever point of vantage presents itself, and 

 thence plunges on its prey with a determined splash. If 

 there is no suitable perch, it will fly up and hover for a 

 short time, but this more laborious procedure it naturally 

 does not adopt if it can be avoided. Our little Indian 

 Kingfisher has sometimes been ranked as a distinct species 

 from the home bird (Alcedo ispida) and called Alcedo benga- 

 iensis ; but it really does not deserve such distinction, be- 

 ing simply a rather undersized variety. That this should 

 be so is curious ; the Kingfishers are essentially a tropical 

 family, pushing out here and there hardy pioneers into 

 colder climates. And yet here we find that the European 

 bird, which too often starves to death when winter lock 

 up the fresh waters it frequents, nevertheless has a finer 

 physique than when living in its native tropics, where food 

 is almost always plentiful. In another way the Kingfisher 

 is better off in the East, in that it is not much persecuted 

 by man, although even here far too many are killed 

 for their feathers. But it is not relentlessly hunted down 

 here as it is in England ; presumably because bright birds 

 are more numerous and destructive fools with guns less so. 

 So our little halcyon is as tame as a robin, and all 

 the details of his daily life may be watched. He is a 

 great believer in " spheres of influence." and seems to 

 require a large tank all to himself ; for if I saw another bird 

 besides our usual resident at the Museum tank., there was 



