318 LAND-BIRDS. 



In New England, this species is occasionally resident through- 

 out the year, but more often appears about the first of April, 

 and remains until late in the autumn. Near Boston * it prob- 

 ably cannot be much longer ranked as a common bird, since, 

 being naturally shy, unsocial, and averse to the intrusion of 

 man, it prefers wilder and less cultivated portions of the coun- 

 try. 



Our common Kingfishers are more conspicuous than actu- 

 ally abundant, and two pairs are rarely found to occupy the 

 same hunting-grounds. They may be found scattered 

 throughout the State, and stationed at mill-ponds, lakes, 

 rivers, and trout-streams. Such places are their chosen 

 haunts, and there they search for their prey, while some 

 neighboring sand-bank affords them a place to excavate their 

 long burrows, which they do with both bill and feet. They 

 are frequently obliged to wander in search of their food, as 

 I have seen them in warm weather flying across the country at 

 some distance from any large body or stream of water. They 

 fly rapidly, with an intermittent beating of the wings. When 

 watching for fish, upon which they feed almost exclusively, 

 they perch on a fence or tree which stands immediately next 

 to or overhangs the water. From this post they regard the 

 water closely, sometimes flirting their tail or sounding their 

 loud rattle. On seeing a fish, they plunge, so as to be com- 

 pletely immersed, and seizing it with their sharply pointed 

 beak, carry it to shore, where they quickly swallow it. Some- 

 times they hunt like Hawks, and, flying over the surface of the 

 ponds, hover before plunging. On the approach of man, they 

 usually retreat to resume their occupation in a less disturbed 

 quarter. They do not attack large fish, but prefer those 

 which are collectively called " small fry." Audubon states 

 that he has seen them plunge into the sea, but the ocean 

 must ordinarily be too rough for them to easily detect the 

 small objects of their search. They frequently use their nest 

 as a resort, probably making it regularly a retreat for the 

 night. Gosse speaks of these birds as reaching Jamaica 

 " about the beginning of September." In speaking of a pair, 



* It is still not uncommon near Boston, even in the breeding- season. — ^W. B. 



