The King fisher's Perch. 345 
soil and escape*in such quantities as to lower the level 
behind the hatch. These little beaver-like creatures, 
are not, therefore, welcome near hatches and dams. 
If you approach the cover quietly and step over 
the decayed pole that has been placed to close a gap, 
by carefully parting the bushes the kingfisher may be 
seen in his favourite position. The old pole must not 
be pressed in getting over it, or the willow ‘bonds’ or 
withes with which it is fastened to a tree each side of 
the gap will creak, and the pole itself may crack, and 
so alarm the bird. The kingfisher perches on the 
narrow rail that crosses the hatch about two feet 
above the water. 
Another perch to which he removes now and then 
is formed by a branch, dead and leafless, which projects 
across a corner of the bubbling pool below. He 
prefers a rail or a dead branch, because it gives him 
a clearer view and better facilities for diving and 
snatching up his prey as it swims underneath him. 
His azure back and wings and ruddy breast are not 
equalled in beauty of colour by any bird native to this 
country. The long pointed beak looks half as long 
as the whole bird: his shape is somewhat wedge-like, 
enlarging gradually from the point of the beak back- 
wards, The cock bird has the brightest tints. 
In this pool scooped out by the falling water swim 
roach, perch, and sticklebacks, and sometimes a jack; 
but the jack usually abides near the edge out of the 
swirl. Roach are here the kingfisher’s most common 
