The Zoologist — March, 1874. 3899 



tunnel invariahly inclined upwards, the entrance at some distance 

 from the ground, four or five feet and upwards. In one instance 

 the hole was not more than two feet from the base of a wall built 

 on rather a steep slope ; this is noted to show that the habits of our 

 bird differ from those of its European congener Alcedo ispida. In 

 Wood's 'Homes without Hands,' p. 519, is a representation of the 

 nest of the English bird, and it may be noticed there that the floor 

 of the tunnel is nearly on a level with the surface of the water; 

 our bird always ascends in entering, and descends on quitting the 

 nest. 



October 10th, first egg laid in a nest on our cliff; second egg 

 laid on the 12th, before 10 A. M. ; third egg laid on the 14th ; fourth 

 egg on the 15th ; fifth egg on the 16th ; sixth and last egg, on the 

 17th. Subsequently the nesting-place was measured, and gave 

 the following dimensions : — Entrance rather over two inches in 

 diameter; tunnel sixteen inches in length ; egg chamber of ovoid 

 form, seven inches in length, five inches and a half in width, with 

 a height from the bottom of four inches. The size of the nest may 

 create surprise when one thinks of the space occupied by the eggs ; 

 but a roomy home is necessary, for, like those of most troglodytal 

 breeders, the young remain in their hole till their wings are well 

 grown. This stay-at-home habit saves the parents much expendi- 

 ture of force, depending, as they do, for food on living prey ; nor is 

 the safety of their offspring so often jeopardised. Rapid digestion 

 would cause the young to utter constant cries for food, which would 

 disclose to enemies the whereabouts of each member of a scattered 

 brood ; the labour of hunting after stray young ones would be very 

 great compared to the task of carrying food to one common feeding 

 place. It should be noted that the egg-chamber is hollowed out 

 slightly below the floor of the tunnel, a ridge is thus formed by 

 which the eggs and newly-hatched young are kept safe from 

 accident; in fact, there is no need of a nest during incubation, 

 the warmth that is communicated to the hole by the body of the 

 sitting bird being very considerable. The birds that built near us 

 last season gave plenty of opportunity to watch their labours ; 

 steady hard work it is, indeed, that in some instances endures for 

 weeks. After the site is selected and a commencement made, the 

 birds do not both leave the spot, watch being kept by one whilst 

 its mate works or is absent after food. Should an alarm be given 

 it is speedily answered, though from the distance of half-a-mile. 



