488 The Zoologist — Novkmber, 18G6. 



I hardly know a prettier sight, or one more gratifying to the naturalist, 

 than that of a kingfisher feeding. Many a time have I lain at full 

 length, by the water side, and screened by a thick bush, watched one 

 of these birds dart into the stream from a favourite stump, and, seizing 

 a passing fish, return with it to its perch. Invariably holding its prey 

 behind the gills, it would, on regaining the stump, knock the fish 

 several times against the wood, until stunned or dead, and then 

 swallow it whole, head first. 1 have been astonished to see how many 

 fish so small a bird could swallow consecutively. I once saw a king- 

 fisher take five good-sized minnows, one after the other. That the 

 bird is capable of being tamed may be seen by any one who will take 

 the trouble to visit the fish-house in the Zoological Gardens, where 

 there are at present several live kingfishers. One of these is so tame 

 that it will readily perch upon the keeper's right hand, and seize a fish 

 from his left. Although a short-winged bird, the kingfisher has great 

 powers of flight. I have more than once seen one fly out across a 

 harbour until the eye could follow it no longer. Mr. Henry llussey, 

 on Christmas Day, 1863, saw one flying over the Serpentine in Ken- 

 sington Gardens, a singular locality for such a bird. 



" In an interesting communication from Mr. J. H. Belfrage, of Mus- 

 well Hill, referring to the kingfisher, he says, ' A curious instance of 

 the instinct displayed by one of these birds came under my own ob- 

 servation. We had occasion to empty a small pond in our garden, 

 for the sake of having it cleaned out. When that process had been 

 gone through, there still remained about three inches of water, and 

 into this shallow pool we turned about four dozen very small Prussian 

 carp. The following day a kingfisher appeared, and continued to visit 

 the pond daily, until all, or nearly all, the little carp had disappeared. 

 The bird was frequently seen there, perched upon the railings of the 

 pond, or flying away from il scared at om- approach ; but when the 

 pond was filled by the rain it disappeared, and was not seen again. 

 I'here were then only one or two fish left, and I never remember to 

 have seen a kingfisher in the neighbourhood either before or since.' 

 By what curious instinct, then, was this bird led to an isolated pond 

 far from its usual haunts, and at a distance from any stream, where it 

 became aware not only of the sudden appearance of fish, but also of 

 the sufficient shallowness of the pool to enable il to take them ?" — 

 —pp. 1-21-3. 



The supposed occurrence of the American barn swallow in England 

 is one which requires further investigation, and it is much to be 



