70 THE HOOPOE. 



of gold was instantly changed to a crest of feathers, 

 of equal if not still greater beauty. 



Head of the Hcopce. 



The Kingfisher, rivalling, if not exceeding the 

 Bee-Eater in the blues and greens of its beautiful 

 plumage, is also much more common. Most of our 

 readers may probably have seen it darting in the 

 direction of a brook-course like a flying-emerald* 

 "We were once fortunate enough to watch one within 

 a few yards for some time. It was on a calm sunny 

 day; the bird was observed to settle on the post of 

 a rail, projecting into a piece of water: a boat was 

 gently impelled towards it, in perfect silence; it 

 seemed to take no notice, sitting motionless, as if it 

 had been stuffed and placed there for ornament. 

 In an instant it darted off with so rapid a motion, 

 that a green bright line from the post to a splash 

 of water, where it had plunged, alone marked its 

 course. In another instant, it rose, and with as rapid 

 a flight resumed its position on the post, having swal- 

 lowed the little fish, whose bright scales we could 

 just see glistening in the sun as the bird emerged 

 from the water. There it rested motionless as 



