HALCYON. | NATURAL HISTORY. 139 
Halcyon. 
St. Martin’s summer, halcyon’ days. 
i. Kinc Henry VIL, i. 2, 131. 
Turn their halcyon beaks with every gale. 
Kine Lear, ii. 2, 84. 
A rrp called also King’s-fisher, because she fisheth in 
the sea, and casteth herself with such force at the fishes. 
She conceiveth in the sea, and in it she brings forth her 
young—and that in chill and cold weather; and mean- 
while the heaven is serene, and the sea tranquil, nor 
agitated by troubles of winds. Hence those serene days 
are called Halcyon-days. 
Minsheu’s Dictionary, s.v. 
Sue deposits her eggs in the sand, and that in mid- 
winter, when the sea rises highest, and the waves beat very 
strongly on the shore ; but while she hatches out, the sea 
grows suddenly quiet, and all windy’ storms cease. And 
she sits on her eggs for seven days, and then brings out 
her young, whom she rears for other seven days. And 
therefore seamen watch for these xiv days, expecting calms. 
Her nest cannot be cut by iron, but is broken by a strong 
knock. 
Hortus Sanitatis, bk. iii. § 8. 
THERE is a second kind of them breeding about the 
sea-side, differing both in quantity and also in voice; for 
it singeth not as the former do, which are lesser ; for they 
haunt rivers, and sing among the flags and reeds. It is a 
very great chance to see one of these Halcyons, and never 
are they seen but about the setting of the star Virgiliz 
(i.e., the Brood-hen); or else near mid~snmmer or mid- 
winter: for otherwhiles they will fly about a ship, but 
soon are they gone again and hidden. In the: beginning 
of December they build. ‘Their nests are wondrously made, 
in fashion of a round ball; the mouth or entry thereof 
standeth somewhat out, and is very narrow, much like 
unto great sponges. And no man could ever find of what 
they be made. Some think they are framed of the sharp- 
pointed pricks of some fishes, for of fish these birds live. 
Holland's Pliny, bk. x. chy xxxii, 
