THE LONE FISHER 



they were going. In the hole it had been different ; there was 

 nothing to interfere with their feathers there — the few they 

 had; there was only one place to go, and it was dark, anyway. 



They learned to pick up food in most unexpected places 

 — in the water, on the ground, among the willows. Baby 

 toads, out walking for the first time, were among the choicest 

 morsels which they found in these early days on the ground. 

 These, together with great, juicy water-beetles, tender frogs, 

 and an occasional fish which their mother brought them, kept 

 them plump and cheerful. 



However, life was not all enjoyment. There were dan- 

 gers which made them look back with longing on the comfort 

 and seclusion of their pin-feather youth. Hawks circled over 

 them; owls swept by on soft wings at night; while water- 

 rats were always near; snakes and weasels moved about 

 among the grasses; and all were looking for just such dain- 

 ties as baby birds. 



Their wise mother warned them in kingfisher language 

 to beware, but, inexperienced as they were, they could not 

 always be on the lookout for enemies when food was to be 

 himted. One thing at a time was as much as they could at- 

 tend to. 



Often they mounted dead branches to look abroad on 

 the world and see where the best foraging grounds were. 

 A most engaging family with many winning ways! The 

 restlessness of childhood was giving place to the quiet dig- 

 nity of grown-up kingfisherhood. Though broad smiles 

 sometimes gave evidence of their enjoyment, they never 

 laughed aloud, as the flicker's noisy children often did; and 

 when things went wrong they manifested their displeasure, 

 by only a ruffle of the crest or an impatient flip of the tail — 



109 



