:::::::::*s TWO BIRD- LOVERS IN MEXICO W^^= 



We shall never forget the trio of birds perching so 

 near together — a small congress of all the species of 



kingfishers which find their 

 way into the southern part 

 of our OAvn country. The 

 least of the three was the 

 first to leave, soon followed 

 by the Belted. The great 

 Rufous bird looked about 

 him, his eye rested upon the 

 water, and without hesita- 

 tion, he dived downward and 

 rose with a six-inch fish from 

 the pool. Verily I believe if 

 the Belted Kingfisher had 

 dived before he flcAv, he 

 would have secured a threeAnch minnow ! A mile or 

 two from the tangle was a little dry, sandy arroyo, 

 inhabited by a single Texas Kingfisher. There was 

 no water near; nevertheless, here he might always 

 be found, dashing after grasshoppers and butterflies 

 and snatching up diminutive lizards, as skilfully as 

 ever one of his race caught a fish. It was amusing to 

 see him, after each of his sallies, flirt his jjhimage and 

 wings, instinctively shaking imaginary drops of water 

 from his feathers. 



As one Avalked through the tangle, a large dark ob- 

 ject would sometimes loom up in front, suspended among 



*<^- 318 ^ 



TEXAS KINGFISHER, PISHING ON 

 DRY LAND 



