50 EGYPTIAN BIRDS 
is said to breed in Egypt, and probably does in 
localities suited to it. 
The food is chiefly fish, and it has often been 
noted that it swallows such prey, after one or two 
preparatory blows, head foremost. In flight it 
hardly seems to move its wings, or they are moved 
so quickly that the eye does not catch the move- 
ment, it seems to pass along smoothly, literally like 
an arrow. This bird, like so many bright plumaged 
ones, is no songster, and has only a sort of shrill call 
note. Both male and female are alike in plumage, 
but the female has more red on the lower bill. 
There is one other Kingfisher that may be 
met with, the Little Indian Kingfisher, very 
similar in plumage to the last, but it is a smaller 
bird and its bill is longer. I do not think I have 
ever seen it, though I know those who say they 
have noticed it several times on the rushing water 
in the Assoan district. 
