346 Wild Life in a Southern County. 
prey. He chooses those about four inches long by 
preference, and ‘daps’ on them the moment they come 
near enough to the surface. But he will occasionally 
land a much larger fish, perhaps almost-twice the size, 
and will carry it to some distance, being remarkably 
powerful on the wing for so small a bird. The fish is 
held across the beak, but in flying it sometimes seems. 
to be held almost vertically ; and if that is really the 
case, and not an illusion caused by the swiftness of the 
flight, the bird must carry its head then a little on 
one side. If he is only fishing for his own eating, he 
does not carry his prey farther than a clear place on 
the bank. A terrace made by the runs of the water- 
rat is a common table for him, or the path leading to 
the hatch where it is worn smooth and bare by foot- 
steps. But he prefers to devour his fish either close to 
the water or in a somewhat open place, and not too 
near bushes; because while thus on the ground he is 
not safe. When feeding his young he will carry a fish 
apparently as long as himself a considerable distance. 
One summer I went several days in succession to 
a hedge two fields distant from the nearest brook, and 
hid on the mound with a gun. I had not been there 
long before a kingfisher flew past, keeping just clear 
of the hedge, but low down and close under the boughs 
of the trees, and going ina direction which would 
not lead to a brook or pond. This seemed curious ; 
but presently he} came back again, uttering the long 
whistle which is his peculiar note. About an hour, 
