The Kingfisher. 319 
the sea, preserved the peace of famihes, proved a sure protection against 
thunder, and augmented hidden treasures. The Tartars of Siberia em- 
ployed their skins as antidotes, or at least preventatives, of almost every 
evil ; and in many cases they were supposed to act as an extraordinary 
charm, wherever they were introduced. In some places they tear off 
the birds' skins, and throw them into water, carefully preserving such 
as swim, from the belief, that if with them they touched a woman, or 
even her clothes, they would immediately fall in love with her. The 
Ostiacs, a particular tribe, took off the skins and claws of these birds, 
and kept them in a sort of purse, in the full persuasion that so long as 
they remained in possession of these precious charms, they were beyond 
the reach of every misfortune. 
We learn from Zinnani, that in the mild climate of Italy, this bird 
breeds twice in the year. And Ovid informs us, that its nest was a float- 
ing one;* and among other wonderful properties, Aristotle supposed 
it to have the power of staying every boisterous wind, in order that the 
waters might be preserved smooth during the time of its incubation.f 
And to render a bird with such charms, complete, the poets conferred on it 
the power of song; J — indeed, there was scarce any good property which 
this bird was not supposed to possess. Nor was this superstition confined 
to the ancients, "I have once or twice" says Mrs. Charlotte Sm.ith, in 
the Natural History of Birds, vol. I, page 73, "seen a stuffed bird of this 
species, hung up to the beam of a cottage ceiling, and imagined that the 
beauty of the feathers had recommended it to this sad pre-eminence, till 
on enquiry, I was assured that it served the purpose of a weather-vane ; 
and though sheltered from the immediate influence of the wind, never 
failed to show every change, by turning its beak to the quarter whence 
the wind blew." 
It has however lost all its supposed power, amongst the scientific of 
the present day, and we are obliged to content ourselves without either 
its fine melodious song, or its floating nest, it still however retains charms 
though of a different nature to those of the ancients, — it is universally 
considered the most beautiful bird, for plumage, in Europe. It is met 
with throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa. 
It is not our intention to attempt to confute the excellent descriptions 
given by modern writers, on the natural habits of this charming bird; 
but to detail what we know of it, from actual observation. Having be- 
come possessed some young ones, last summer, we were very anxious to 
rear them ; — this we have accomplished, and to the best of our infor- 
mation, it is the first time Kingfishers were ever reared by hand. To 
accomplish this object, we had a wire cage constructed, about ten feet 
" "Incubat i^a/cyo«ff pendentibus tequore nidis," — Ovid Met., Lib. xi. 
+ ''Dies halcyonii appellantur septem ante bruraam et septem a brutna.'' — Arist. Hist. An. 
Lib. v, cap. 8- 
t "Cum sonat halcjone cantu, nidosque natantes, 
"linmota g^estat sopitis fluctibus unda." — Sitius Ital. Lib. xiv, p.275. 
