The King-fishers and their King Row. 



91 



Fig. 83. King-fisher nine days old, showing feather tubes and tracts- 



except on one occasion wlien I saw the bird turn near the entrance, and slioot out head 

 first. The longest visit recorded lasted three and a half minutes. When a )(.ungster 

 was encountered near the mouth of the tunnel he was driven back to the chamber, where 

 the food was distributed. Once 



only did I see an old bird pause ^ ■ fc j. 



at the entrance for a hasty 

 glance backward, and thus 

 give a good profile view of 

 head with fish in bill. Unfor- 

 tunately the plate had already 

 been exposed, and before it 

 could be changed, the oppor- 

 tunity was lost. The old bu'ds, 

 however, must have often 

 turned about at the entrance 

 on both entering and leaving 

 the hole, as shown by the deep 

 furrows plowed by the bill at 

 either side of the opening. 



When the young are ten 

 days old, the feather tubes 

 have begun to burst at the tips, 

 and their horny substance is 

 gradually shed in the form of 

 powdery scales. The feathers 

 grow slowly, but at the age of 

 two weeks the characteristic 

 colors of the adult are becom- 

 ing apparent, — the slaty-blue 

 of the upper parts, and the 

 white of the breast which is 

 traversed by a bluish-brown 

 belt, with rusty brown along 

 the sides. As they rattle when 

 taken from the nest their 

 whole body quavers. They 

 will hiss, bite one another, hud- 

 dle together, and erect their 

 crests of long stiff feathers. 

 They attain to full plumage or 

 nearly so when three weeks 

 old, at which time their bright fresh colors and docile natures make them most attractive. 

 They can fly but little, and show no fear. At this stage their habitual expression suo-oests 

 a peculiar sardonic grin. 



On the fourth of August I took these birds home in a basket, when twentv-five da\'s 



Fig. 84. At thirteen days : many of the feather tubes burst. The blue- 

 black, white-tipped wing-quills project half an inch. Notice that these 

 birds always stand, not on the toes only, but on the short shank or tarsus. 



