THE 



FIELD NATURALIST, 



ON PROCURING SPECIMENS OF BRITISH LAND BIRDS 

 FOR A MUSEUM, WITH INCIDENTAL OBSERVATIONS 

 ON THE HABITS OF VARIOUS SPECIES. 



( Continued from page 54.) 



BY E. BLYTH. 



I am sorry that a severe indisposition should have prevented me 

 from continuing this subject last month; but if these desultory gossiping 

 observations are worthy a place in your pages, I feel much pleasure in 

 resuming them now. 



In addition to the various remarks I made upon a kingfisher, which 

 I kept for some time in confinement, I may here add, that it was very 

 rarely heard to emit any sound ; but that when hungry, or kept longer 

 than usual without a supply of fresh food, it was at times extremely 

 clamorous, uttering continually a sharp and loud chirp, resembling 

 chwite. I have heard it said, that, on account of the extreme shortness 

 of its legs, the kingfisher is unable to move forward upon the ground, 

 but this is erroneous ; if placed on the ground, it will generally fly off 

 immediately, but I have, nevertheless, on more than one occasion, seen 

 it with short quick steps waddle along in rather a ludicrous manner. 

 I have lately examined a considerable number of jays (Garrulus glan- 

 darius), and think that to illustrate this species well both male and 

 female should be preserved ; in the former, the feathers upon the fore- 

 head are whiter, and the black spots consequently better contrasted 

 than in the other sex : the tail also is more barred, and the colours of 

 the whole plumage more lively : the female, however, exhibits a number 

 of small transverse bars upon the crest, which, in the male bird, are 

 scarcely discernible. My own observation of this species leads me to 



VOL. II. — 'NO. in. (march, 1834.) Q 



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