THE KINGFISHER 153 



his] ; but the bird sat still, and took no notice of my 

 approach. 



"Astonished at this — for the Kingfisher sat in such a 

 position as easily to see any one coming, and these birds 

 generally start immediately they perceive a person — I 

 walked swiftly up opposite the bush. The bird remained 

 on the bough. I put out the barrel of my gun and 

 touched his ruddy breast with the muzzle ; he fell on 

 the ice below. He had been frozen on his perch during 

 the night, and probably died more from starvation than 

 from cold, since it was impossible for him to get at any 

 fish." 



And lie adds : " More than once afterwards, the same 

 winter, I found Kingfishers dead on the ice under the 

 bushes, lying on their backs with their contracted 

 claws uppermost, having fallen dead from roost. Possibly 

 the one found on the branch may have been partly 

 supported by some small twig." 



So long as the frost is not severe enough to lock up 

 their fishing waters, these birds seem happy enough, 

 though so bright a creature seems to need the sunshine 

 for its proper setting. The late Mr. Cornish has left us 

 a charming word-picture of Kingfishers at play at this 

 season. It was "a brilliant, warm, sunny morning in 

 early winter," and he had walked out before breakfast to 

 Clifton Bridge. 



" The shrill cry of the Kingfishers was heard on all sides. 

 I counted seven, chasing each other over the water, 

 darting in swift flight round and round the pool, and 

 perching in a row to rest. Presently two fiew up and 

 hovered together, like Kestrels, over the stream. One 

 suddenly plunged, came up with a fish, and flying to the 

 other, which was still hovering, put the fish into its beak. 



