BIRDS IN A VILLAGE 27 



bird I had been seeking darted out from the margin 

 almost beneath my feet, and then instead of flying 

 up or down stream, sped like an arrow across the 

 field of buttercups* It was a very bright day, and 

 the bird going from me with the sunshine full on 

 it, appeared entirely of a shining splendid green. 

 Never had I seen the kingfisher in such favourable 

 circumstances ; flying so low above the flowery 

 level that the swiftly vibrating wings must have 

 touched the yellow petals, he was like a waif from 

 some far tropical land* The bird was tropical, but 

 I doubt if there exists within the tropics anything 

 to compare with a field of buttercups such large 

 and unbroken surfaces of the most brilliant colour 

 in nature. The first bird's mate appeared a minute 

 later, flying in the same direction, and producing 

 the same splendid effect, and also green. These 

 two alone were seen, and only on this occasion, 

 although I often re-visited the spot, hoping to find 

 them again. 



Now the kingfisher is blue, and I am puzzled to 

 know why on this one occasion it appeared green. 

 I have in a former work, Argentine Ornithology, 

 described a contrary effect in a small and beautiful 

 tyrant-bird, Cyanotis azarae, variously called in the 

 vernacular, all-coloured or many-coloured kinglet. 

 It has a little blue on its head, but its entire back 

 from the nape to the tail is deep green. It lives in 



