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Mr. P. F. M. Galloway,



perch should be placed and one near the other end of the cage.

The bird will fly from the farthest perch and settle on the perch by

the tank, thrust its head into the water and fetch out a fish, give it

two or three sharp knocks on the peich to wake it up and bolt it

headfirst; but supposing there was no perch level with the edge of

the tank, the bird would fly straight into the tank and throw the

water all over the place. I will just show a rough sketch of the

cage I have mentioned.



The Kingfisher will thrive if fed upon minnows, small bleak

or small roach, but minnows seem to be one of its favourite foods.

When small live fish could not be obtained for a time, I found mine

would eat whitebait ; I used to get these from the fishmonger.

Those that are burst and soft should be rejected and only the firmest

fish used. I also used to try him with small narrow cut pieces of

raw beef; he would eat these when hungry, but never seemed so fit

and well as when fed upon live fish. If a Kingfisher was fed, say

for a week, on dead fish or raw meat, he would begin to look soft

and out of condition, but just give him a few minnows and they act

like magic on him, in a very short space of time you would pull

him round and he would he as bright and sleek as possible again.


It is a curious thing, that when this bird is out of health and



