only seen such specimens as had been mutilated in the 

 usual manner, accuses Pigafetta of audacious falsehood 

 in asserting that the bird was naturally furnished with 

 legs and feet, and the great Scaliger, himself a naturalist 

 of no mean order, gave equal credit to this foolish fanc}'. 

 The true residence of tliese birds seems to be Papua, 

 or Xew Guinea, whence they make occasional excursions 

 to some smaller neighbouring islands. They fly in 

 riocks of about thirty or forty, leJ, it is alleged, by a 

 single bird which tlie natives call tlieir king, but 

 which is said to be of a difterent species. It is 

 further pretended that when this bird settles, tlie whole 

 flight settle also, in consequence of which they some- 

 times perish, being unable to rise again owing to 

 the peculiar structure of their wings. They also fly 

 alwoys against the wind, lest their flowing plumage 

 should be discomposed. While flying they make a noise like 

 starlings, but their common cry ratlier resembles that of 

 a raven, and is very audible in windy weather, when 

 they dread the chance of being thrown upon the ground. 

 In the Aru Islands they are seen to percli on lofty trees, 

 and are variously captured by *the inhabitants with bird- 

 lime, snares, and bkmted arrov.s. Though many are 

 taken alive, tliey are alwa3's killed immediately, em- 

 bowelled, the feet cut off, the jjlumed skins fumigated 

 with sulplmr, ayd tlien dried for sale. With respect to 

 their food Ave liave little certain info.mation from the 

 older aiithors, sonu; of whom assert they jirey on small 

 birds — a supposition which Dr. Shaw, in his *^ General 

 Zoology," inclines to think is favoured by their strength 

 of bill and h^gs, and the vigour v/illi which they defend 

 themselves. They are also said to feed on fruits and 

 berries, and Linuieus savs, that thev devour the larger 

 butterflies — a diversity of opinion which will rather 

 bewilder than enlighten the notions of a spectator. 



V^ e. now pass the Kingfishers, remarkable chiefly for 

 their length of bill and splendour of plumage. The 

 Aiccdo hpida (our common kingfislier) is the only spe- 

 cies Avhich we find in Europe, and it yields to few of its 

 brethren in lustrous beauty. It is one of the rarest, and 

 certainly the handsomest, of all our resident species. It 

 haunts the banks of lakes and rivers, building in wil- 

 lows near their margin, and preys chiefly on small fish, 

 on which it darts with tlie rapidity of an arrow, plung- 

 ing its little gem-like body for one flashing moment into 

 the chrystal and willow-overhung stream, and re-appear- 

 ing the next with its prey secured. 



