CHAP, v.] MANAGEMENT AS CAPTIVES. 309 



piece of tyranny common to men, animals, and birds. 

 It may be doubted whether even a pair of Kingfishers, 

 male and female, could be kept together in confinement 

 for a continuance. In a wild state they are seen singly, 

 except during the breeding season and for a short time 

 previous to it. But, as we must be content with a 

 solitary individual, even that would be an ornament to 

 a sufficiently spacious aviary. If it be necessary to feed 

 it on large fish cut in portions, instead of entire small 

 fishes, its health would be better maintained by the 

 washing of each slice previous to giving it (as any stale 

 food is proved to be so injurious), and also by allowing 

 them to swallow the bones and scales together with the 

 portions of fish, and even the little bits of fur attached to 

 any meat that may be given them ; the object of this 

 would be to keep up the occasional casting of pellets 

 and rejectamenta from the stomach, which is usual in a 

 wild state. All birds which have this habit when at 

 large in their natural haunts, require to have it pro- 

 moted if they are to continue healthy in confinement. 

 Captive Kingfishers that have acquired their full 

 strength, may best be fed by supplying them with 

 minnows and small fry in an open glass vessel, such as 

 a Gold-fish globe cut down ; though their owner may 

 probably prefer to exhibit their tameness by making 

 them take food from the hand. Or something elegant 

 could be designed as their feeding-place in the shape of 

 an elevated glass cistern, with a little fountain perhaps, 

 in the centre of their aviary. It might contain a few 

 branches of coral, lumps of agate and cornelion, gold- 

 fish, tadpoles, newts, the Iarva3 of gnats and dragon - 

 flies, or any other interesting objects that are usually 

 found in fresh waters. 



The mention of insects as an occasional diet of our 



