SOME BIRDS 



fisher sailed off over the waters, from apparently 

 beneath our feet. Had I been alone, I would 

 doubtless have passed on with but a casual glance 

 at the disappearing bird, but not so Mr. Bur- 

 roughs. " There 's a kingfisher's nest here," 

 said he, with unerring instinct ; and leaning over 

 the bank a moment, exclaimed, " Here it is ; now 

 let 's see where it goes." 



It was a hole in the bank he had found, and 

 cutting a birch wand and trimming off its leaves, 

 he gave it to one of the lads who were with us, 

 and he probed the opening with the lance. The 

 direction being known, and the distance carefully 

 measured (and it was quite three feet in depth), 

 we marked the probable location of the nest. 

 Pick and shovel were quickly brought, and after 

 digging down in the path about a foot, we un- 

 earthed the nest, and one young naturalist's col- 

 lection was the richer by two highly prized 

 kingfisher's eggs. The boys had permission to 

 practise shooting on the kingfishers for the sake 

 of the young trout and salmon, and the mark is 

 a harder one to hit than any clay pigeon. You 

 think you have him absolutely motionless, as he 

 is poised for a dart at a fish, but invariably the 

 moment you fire he has dropped like a shot on 



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