Coot. 311 



Wherever the kingfisher's haunt may be, he will be 

 found upon observation to leave it nearly- alwa3's in 

 the same direction day after day. He is, indeed, a 

 bird with fixed habits, though apparently wandering 

 aimlessly along the streams. I soon found it possible 

 to predict beforehand in which haunt a kingfisher 

 would be discovered at any time. 



By noting the places frequented by these birds 

 you know where the shoals of small fish lie, and may 

 supply 3^ourself with bait for larger fish. Often one 

 of those great hawthorn bushes that hang over a 

 brook is a favorite spot. The roots of trees and 

 bushes loosen the soil, and deeper holes are often 

 found under them than elsewhere, to which the fish 

 resort. These hawthorn bushes, though thick and 

 impenetrable above, are more open below just over 

 the water ; and there the kingfisher perches, and has 

 also the advantage of being completely hidden from 

 observation : if he only remained still in such places 

 he w^ould escape notice altogether. When passing 

 such a bush on the qui vice for snipe, how man}"" 

 times have I seen a brilliant streak of azure shoot out 

 from the lower branches and watched a kingfisher 

 skim across the meadow, rising with a piping whistle 

 over the distant hedge ! Near mill^Donds is a favorite 

 place with these birds. 



To that hatch which stands on the effluent brook 

 not far from the mere a coot or two comes now and 

 then at night or in the early morning. These birds, 

 being accused of devouring the young fry, are killed 

 whenever they are met, and their eggs taken in order 

 to prevent their increase ; that is, of course, where 

 the water is carefully preserved. Here they are not 



