168 
THE KINGFISHER. 
short duration, the bird is enabled to escape with 
impunity from the deep, in which, or on which, 
were it to remain for a very little time, death would 
inevitably be its fate. 
These undeniable circumstances have induced me 
to wish for the restoration of the kingfisher to its 
former situation amongst the land birds ; for I feel 
reluctant to admit that the single act of procuring 
its food from the water should be thought a sufficient 
reason for removing it from its old associates, and 
placing it amongst strangers, with whom it can 
neither dive nor swim, nor even float with any chance 
of safety. If the kingfisher is to be considered a 
water bird merely because it draws its sustenance 
from the water, then our modern innovators ought 
to consider the osprey in the same light : and even 
the barn owl might give them a hint that she feels 
inclined to seek a new acquaintance ; for I myself 
have seen her plunge into the water, bring out a 
fish, and convey it to her nest. Indeed, the swallow, 
with a still better grace, might ask permission to 
form a new division, distant both from land and 
water birds, and call it ethereal ; because it pro- 
cures the whole of its sustenance from insects in the 
circumambient air. 
When I remarked above that the feet of the 
kingfisher are not webbed, I did not wish it to be 
understood, that I consider the webbed foot essen- 
tially necessary to the act of swimming. The water 
hen is an expert swimmer, without having the feet 
webbed ; but then its form and plumage, so different 
from the form and plumage of land birds, enable it 
