136 
entirely prevents the water from pene- 
trating." When the young are nearly 
full feathered, they are extremely vora- 
cious, the old birds not being capable 
of supplying them with sufficient food to 
satisfy their calls of hunger; at this time 
the young may be discovered by their 
noise. It is probable that the old birds 
eject the food for their young from the 
stomach, as those who have paid par- 
ticular attention to the subject never could 
discover any food in their beaks when they 
went to feed their young. 
The Kingfisher (as its name imports) 
feeds entirely upon small fish. It may 
often be observed to sit for a considerable 
length of time upon a b ranch, a stone, or 
stump by the banks of running streams, 
watching the motions of the fish; and, when 
any approach sufficiently near, darting upon 
them with unerring certainty. It brings 
its prey alive to land, and beats it to death 
previous to swallowing it. It also may be 
seen balancing itself at a certain distance 
above the water for a considerable space, 
then darting into the deep and seizing its 
prey. 
