320 Sinyular specimen of Fungi. 
long, and four broad; the back part of the cage was made to imitate 
as nearly as possible, the banks of a river: — through this cage, a small 
stream of water is conducted, in which the birds receive their food, &c. 
When the young birds were first taken from the nest. Minnows and 
Bullheads were their principal food, they have since been fed on al- 
most every species of fresh-water fish, although they evince a marked 
preference to Trout. 
Immediately on a quantity of small fish being put into the stream 
of water, they commence killing them, regardless of who may be near; 
and so surely do they strike, that although we have repeatedly observed 
them, we never yet saw them miss their prey. As soon as they have 
caught a fish they kill it, by knocking its head against anything that 
may be near them. The quantity of fish consumed by each bird is 
almost incredible, — we should think, on the average, not less than six 
ounces a day^ each; they could not exist twenty-four hours without food, 
they so quickly digest it. There can be no doubt, that the sole reason 
of the Kingfisher migrating to the sea side on the approach of severe 
weather, arises from the voracity of its appetite. 
They are quite tame and domesticated, frequently sitting ;on the 
head or shoulder of the person who is in the habit of cleaning out 
their little dwelling. They are also, very cleanly, we have observed 
them to dive into the water as many as forty times incessantly, for the 
purpose of washing, — this is generally done in the evening. 
Although they appear satisfied with their confinement, they are far 
from being friendly with each other ; they fight with their wings some- 
thing after the manner of the Swan, — this is rather surprising, as they 
are very dexterous with their bills when seizing their prey. 
We have tried to rear others, in a common cage, feeding them 
partly on flesh, but ne^'er succeeded. 
J. P. 
Article II. — An Account of different species of Fungi, 
8;c., found growing iti a Marble Quarry. By White 
Watson, Esq., F.L.S., of Bakewell, Derbyshire. 
Gentlemen, 
In a quarry of Black Marble, at Ashford, in Derbyshire, 
made on the side of a hill, and driven horizontally into the said hill 
side, are beds of marble of unequal thickness, lying inclined to the 
east and north-east, comforraably to the surface of the ground. With- 
in this quarry, at about forty yards, is an upright piece of oak wood, 
about two feet one inch long, and six inches in diameter, (marked A, 
on the annexed plate,) which was placed there in 1773, to support 
the bed of black marble, (bbb) From the top of this post, in 1777, 
