THE KINGFISHER 237 



In Great Britain it was also becoming scarce, but of 

 late years Bird Protection and the ever increasing 

 number of bird-lovers has been in favour of this 

 beautiful ornament of streams and meadows. It is, 

 however, often shot because its feathers are of value for 

 dressing artificial flies. Personally I could not call a 

 bird hurtful because it seeks the food which its Creator 

 intended it to eat, which is no more the property of man 

 when it is taken in its natural conditions than it is that 

 of the bird, and I confess I would rather see the brilliant 

 blue of the Kingfisher flash up a meadow stream than 

 the angler's figure there with his rod. 



The Kingfisher is seven and a half inches long, a short 

 thick set bird, with short tail and straight pointed beak, 

 which sticks out like a lath nail. The colouring of its 

 plumage, which, in its flight, sparkles like precious 

 gems, makes it one of the marvels of nature. Crown, 

 neck, mantle, and rump are of an exquisite brilliant 

 blue; a cinnamon brown stripe passes over the eye, 

 growing lighter as it extends over the side of the neck. 

 Eyes brown, throat white, underparts a brilliant rust- 

 red, legs red, rather short, the toes slightly joined at 

 the root. It nests on the banks of rivers and streams, 

 boring in the bank, on a level just above the surface of 

 the water a tunnel a yard long, which it enlarges at the 

 end into a cauldron-shaped cavity. It does not build a 

 nest here, but lays its round white eggs on rejected fish- 

 bones. The eggs number six or seven. 



