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' creative nature, in giving to each of its productions, the necef- 

 fary means to procure food; the middle toe is notched on the 

 under fide like a fine faw, by means of which it is enabled 

 to keep a firm hold of its finny prey. Colours nearly alike 

 in both fexes, the bill in the female not fo long as that of 

 the male by one-third. 



It is obferved to fit for hours on a ftone or flump, by the 

 banks of running ftreams, watching the motions of fmall fifh, 

 which, the inftant they approach within its reach, it darts on 

 with amazing velocity, and will remain fome feconds under the 

 water fecuring ; it brings its prey alive to land, and beats it 

 to death previous to fwall owing ; it voids the bones whcle ? 

 thickly covered with a vifcous fluid. 



The female lays her eggs (fix. in number) in the holes vacated 

 by the water-rat or mole, which fhe readily accommodates to 

 her purpofe ; plaftering it with its excrement, which hardens 

 as foon as expofed to the air, and entirely prevents the 

 water from penetrating ; it is generally obferved fo near 

 the water's edge that any rife of the water muft cover the 

 entrance, which frequently occafions the neft to be deftroyed ; 

 and to this circumftance we may attribute the comparative 

 fcarcity of the bird, as from the number of eggs it might 

 reafonably be expected to be numerous. The brilliancy of 

 its colours, joined to the quick vibrations of its fhort wings, 

 give" it a meteor-like appearance ; in fact: when on wing, its 

 motions are fo rapid as to render it almoft impofTible for the 

 eye to follow it to any diftance. 



