i6o THE BOOK OF BIRDS 



the south wind, and the east, that stirs the seaweeds on 

 the furthest shores — the Halcyons that are dearest to the 

 green-haired mermaids, of all the birds that take their 

 prey from the salt sea." 



The Kingfisher of our English streams is met with in 

 many parts of the Continent, but chiefly in the southern 

 half Mr. Lodge saw it as far west as Spain, and as far 

 east as Roumania. 



But it has an army of cousins — the various species of 

 this family number no less than one hundred and sixty — 

 and in colouring they differ a great deal. Their habits 

 differ also. Some are water birds, while others are wood 

 birds ; the former being mainly fish-eaters, and the latter 

 preying on insects and reptiles, and the crawling things 

 that live on the mud-banks and the sandy shores. 



They are found in America, North and South, but the 

 sun-steeped lands of Asia can show far more, and the 

 colours of these are often more vivid even than our 

 English species. Australia also has several kinds, among 

 them being that bird of the strange cry, the Laughing 

 Jackass. 



Early in 1907 the London Zoo received a specimen of 

 the rare Buff Laughing Kingfisher, which is found in tlie 

 northern regions of Australia, and is a very shy bird 

 indeed. It frequents thick forests, and loves to perch on 

 some projecting dead bough, high in the tree-tops. Here, 

 sentinel-wise, it watches everything, and therefore cannot 

 easily be approached. From this higli "watch-tower" it 

 pours out its loud harsh notes. 



