BEAUTY OF KINGFISHER 399 



when the line had to be widened. Out flew the 

 bird, almost in the face of the navvies who were 

 unwittingly destroying her abode. They waited for 

 her return, caught her in the hole, and killed her. 



It is a strange instinct that enables the king- 

 fisher, keeping, as he usually does, close to a 

 running stream, to discover a small isolated pond, 

 which has been recently stocked with fish, far away 

 from it. There was a small pond, in my garden at 

 Harrow, a mile from the Kenton brook, into which 

 I put a few small gold-fish. The kingfisher, 

 though a very rare bird in those parts, discovered 

 them and came to claim his share. At the Down 

 House again, two miles from Blandford and the 

 river Stour, Sir William Smith- Marriott con- 

 structed a small pond in which to rear young 

 fontinalis trout. It was surrounded by bushes, 

 and quite hidden from view till you came close 

 upon it. A pair of kingfishers, nevertheless, soon 

 appeared to claim their perquisite ; and I am afraid 

 the owner preferred the fontinalis trout to the 

 kingfishers. How did they find the pond ? The 

 nearest water to which they could be making their 

 way from the Stour, was four miles away on the 

 other side, and the intermediate country was as 

 waterless as could be. 



