By River and Pool. . 205 



the chamber. Upon these fish-bones the six or 

 eight pearly -white eggs are deposited, surrounded 

 in course. of time by a heap of most offensive matter. 

 When the young are hatched the place becomes even 

 more filthy, owing to the increased amount of drop- 

 pings and the number of fish brought for their food. 

 We are not aware that more than one brood is reared 

 in the season, although several clutches of eggs will 

 be laid in the efforts to accomplish this, if the eggs 

 chance to be destroyed. Not a few persons believe 

 the Kingfisher to be mute; but this is not the case. 

 Its note is shrill, but not very loud, and resembles 

 the word peep, sometimes uttered several times in 

 quick succession. It is not, however, by any means 

 a garrulous bird, and usually flies along in silence. 

 By the way, we might mention that the Kingfisher 

 is by no means the only bird of gay plumage that as 

 it were fouls its own nest, for the Hoopoe, a hand- 

 some bird with a wonderful crest, possesses a nest 

 which, during the course of incubation, is rendered 

 filthy and obnoxious from the droppings of the female, 

 conditions which become worse when the young are 

 hatched. How different this from the cleanly habits 

 of the Starling, for instance, that conveys the drop- 

 pings of its young away most carefully, usually after 

 every visit with food. 



As many of the rivers of the northern shires ap- 

 proach the sea they widen into estuaries, the shores 



