62 OUR FRIENDS, THE BIRDS. 
dark-blue waves beneath, nothing on the surface of the 
water can escape his penetrating eyes. Quickly, with 
a sudden swoop, he seizes a single fish from an unsus- 
pecting shoal and announces his success by the pecu- 
liar sound of his rattle. 
THE KING FISHER. 
(ONE-THIRD LIFE SIZE.] 
“The ancients attribute to him supernatural 
powers. It was supposed to construct its nest upon 
the waves, where it was made to float like a vessel at 
anchor. They believed that nature had gifted the 
sitting bird with the power of stilling the motion of the 
winds and waves during the period of incubation. 
