when the time for the fall migration 

 arrives the young leave their parents 

 and pursue the southern journey alone. 

 The Kingfisher is more or less of a soli- 

 tary bird, and, except during the mat- 

 ing season, two individuals are rarely 

 seen together. 



The habits of the Kingfisher are mter- 

 esting and instructive. It is a natural 

 born fisherman and plies its trade with 

 as much patience and skill as does its 

 brother sportsman, Man. Its food con- 

 sists almost entirely of small fishes 

 which it captures with astonishing dex- 

 terity. Its favorite haunts are well 

 wooded streams and small lakes and 

 ponds where it can pursue its avoca- 

 tions in quietness and peace. Here it 

 may be seen by any careful observer, 

 and its interesting habits studied. In 

 such a locality it may be observed sit- 

 ting on 'the overhanging limb of a tree 



and appearing like a statue, so motion- 

 less does it sit. But wait! a school of 

 small fish come swimming along, and 

 in the twinkling of an eye the King- 

 fisher darts into the water, seizes a fish 

 in its bill and bears it to a nearby tree, 

 where it is swallowed whole, head first. 

 Again it is observed frying just above 

 the surface, turning its head from side 

 to side as it scans the water beneath, 

 and if a fish is seen it pauses in its 

 flight, sustaining itself by short, jerky 

 motions of its wings, and finally plunges 

 into the water, catches the fish in its 

 bill and bears it to some tree where it 

 is devoured. When perched upon the 

 limb of a tree the Kingfisher sometimes 

 flirts its tail as do some of the smaller 

 bird's. Besides fish, the King^sher is 

 also said to eat small! mammals (rarely), 

 as well as insects, crayfish and crabs. 

 Collins Thurber. 



THE KINGFISHER. 



O'er the river's brink, on a summer's day, 

 Where lingering shadows love to pilay, 

 On an overhanging branch sits he 

 And Waits and watches patiently, 

 Until with his ever restless eye 

 He sees a silvery fish swim by. 



Then darting into the river's flow, 



Like an arrow from an archer's bow. 



With a daring dash and splash of spray 



He seizes hold of his finny prey 



And flings a wild laugh to the skies, 



As he mounts above with the shining prize. 



— Chreswell J. HuN r. 



53 



