
vou. x1.} NOTES ON THE KINGFISHER. 221. 
began to chur. I kept my eyes on one. He continued 
without a break for three-quarters of a minute, the whole 
time opening and closing his mouth at an average rate of 
five times in twelve seconds. This was accompanied with the 
_ vibration of the feathers down the length of the throat. His 
head was raised throughout. 
And now, by the fortunate accident of having chosen this 
moment for my experiment, the riddle of the clean nest and 

YOUNG KINGFISHERS ABOUT A FORTNIGHT OLD. 
Photo. by W. Rowan. 
filthy run was solved, for almost immediately one of the 
other youngsters waddled to the centre, turned round, 
backed to the shaft, and in a way exactly similar to a nestling 
Willow Wren, found the exit and there defecated. The 
action was unmistakable, though that was all I could see. I 
should imagine, however, if guess work is permissible, from 
the comparative cleanliness of the immediate nest-end of the 
shaft, that the excreta are forcibly ejected, as with most 
hawks. 
Besides the “ purring 
99 
noise, the youngsters, at this age 
