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On the feeding-habits of this species, Mr. Henry C. Field of Wanganui has sent me the following 
interesting observations, which exhibit the Kingfisher in the new character of a frugivorous 
bird : — 
“ Knowing the interest you take in our New-Zealand birds, 1 have thought you might like to be 
informed of the following trait in the habits of the Kotare, which I think is not generally known. 
About a week before Christmas my children reported to me that in what they took to be a rat’s hole 
in the pumice bank of the stream, just behind my garden, there was something which growled at 
them whenever they passed the hole or looked into it. On the matter being mentioned a second or 
third time the hole was examined, and proved to be a Kotare’s nest, containing four young ones 
about half-fledged. The old birds, of course, manifested a strong objection to the nest being touched, 
flying round, screaming, and darting at us whenever we went close to it. I desired the children not 
to meddle with the young birds, but told them that if they sat a little way off and watched they 
would see the old ones catch fish, lizards, and insects, and bring them to the nest for the young ones 
to eat. The children were very pleased to do this, but quickly discovered that very few fish, and 
apparently very little animal food of any kind, was brought to the nest, and the young brood were 
being reared on the cherries out of our garden. I at first thought the children were mistaken, but 
as they assured me they saw the birds fly to the trees, and bring back the cherries in theii bills, I 
examined the nest, and from the quantity of cherry stones that it contained saw that the youngsters 
eyes had not deceived them. It was evident, in fact, that, up to the time they left the nest, fiuit 
formed the chief food of the young birds. It has occurred to me that possibly the Kingfisher, fiom 
its habits, consumes a large quantity of fluid with its food, and that the juice of the fiuit supplies 
moisture necessary to the proper growth of the young birds. At all events it is clear that young 
fruit forms an important article in their diet, though I never saw them eating it, or heard of their 
doing so at a later stage of their existence. 
“ I accidentally got corroborative information as to the frugivorous habits of the Kotare lately. 
I met Mr. Enderby, who mentioned that he had been greatly annoyed by these birds this autumn. 
rocks along the beach, and on the telegraph wires stretched across the numerous little bays. They were evidently attracted by 
the shoals of little fish that were frequenting the shallow water at the time ; and at one spot I had an ocular demonstration of my 
argument with Captain Hutton, which I should like him to have witnessed. Ten little Kingfishers sitting in a row were in 
possession of a short span of telegraph wire overhanging tho water, and, one after the other, they were dipping into the shallow 
sea-wafer in pursuit of fish. Sometimes two or even three of them would dip at the same moment, raising a tiny splash all 
round, and then mount again to the wiro or fly off to the shore with their finny prey. In further illustration of the piscivorous 
habits of the bird it may be mentioned that Mr. Brandon, of this city, has an indictment to file against the Kingfisher for 
robbing the fountain in his garden of goldfish.” 
I have frequently observed these birds fishing from the scaffolding under Queen Street Wharf, in Auckland Harbour, at a 
distance of fully two hundred yards from the shore ; and my son, on one occasion, saw a Kingfisher capture a sea-minnow about 
four inches long and devour it. 
The custodian of the trout-ponds at Hastings, near Napier, informed me, on my last visit there, that the Kingfisher had 
proved very destructive to the young trout, often attacking even good-sized fish in the ponds and picking out their eyes ! 
The following communication from Capt. Mair (Z. c. vol. x. p. 202) bears on the same point 
“ The Kingfisher is found in all the mountain streams of the Urewera and Bay of Plenty districts. It subsists largely on 
small freshwater fish (mohiwai of the natives), also on flies, moths, and beetles. 
Mr. Potts says, in his interesting little volume ‘ Out in the Open’ (p. 150) “ It remains for me to state that these King- 
fishers really do fish at times. We have watched with great pleasure and interest displays of their remarkable skill and activity. 
In the lovely island of Kawau, these birds are very numerous ; and well they merit the protection extended to them for their 
useful labours in clearing off many of the crickets that are to be seen thero in abundance. At ebb-tide we have noticed King- 
fishers settled on the twisted trunks of pohutukawa trees that spread out their crooked limbs over wave-washed and shelly 
beaches. From such convenient perches the birds plunge boldly into tho sea, often wholly immersed, sprinkling round showers 
of spray. They swiftly emerge, rarely failing to bear back with them to their standing places their finny spoil. 
