Winter Birds in South-eastern Mass. 
Harry G. White 
9. The Belted Kingfisher. It is stated in 
books that the Kingfisher may, on rare 
occasions, remain throughout the winter in 
Massachusetts, but I do not remember to have 
seen it recorded as a regular or common 
resident at that season. This, however, appears 
to be the case, at least in that portion border- 
ing on Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound, 
although the winter notes from Taunton and 
Highland Light do not include this bird on 
the lists. 
Late in the fall, the Kingfishers daily plied 
their trade from off the guards of the Com- 
mission Wharf and great was the demand for 
their skins to help out the World’s Fair 
collection. The persistency with which they 
were stalked and the “dare devil” habits of 
the birds themselves caused mo much alarm 
for their safety, as I was anxious to continue 
my notes upon them with the view of learning 
the exact time of their departure for the 
South ; and when one or two of them had 
been secured, I would have sold out my 
interest at a very low figure. One bird escaped 
the general slaughter and remained with us, 
a Hitting spirit of the departed and doomed to 
fish alone from off the iron railing, so I was 
correspondingly happy. But too much of any 
good thing is apt to wear upon the nerves, and 
so it was with my Kingfisher. At first, I was 
only too anxious that ho should remain 
another day, but soon I became more in- 
different and finally I longed to mention the 
impropriety of further putting off his depart- 
ure. But he had not the slightest intention of 
leaving, and as far as I am able to judge, he 
has stuck to the text of “don’t give up the 
ship,” having remained on the ground, ready 
to welcome back bis brethren which adopted 
the better part of valor last fall. All winter, 
be kept bachelor’s quarters in a last year’s 
nest situated not far from the station, and as 
long as the “ silversides ” and other small fish 
remained, he was ever busy about the wharf, 
although on account of his temerity, he served 
as a target for rifle practice. During the 
month of December, he was about the wharves 
on ten days, and in January I saw him on nine 
occasions, the last being on the 31st. In 
February, he seldom appeared about tbe 
station, for small fish were very scarce and 
especially so in the shallow water off tbe 
harbor, where the anchor ice and frost killed 
what few there were. But on one or two 
occasions, I saw him diving into tbe icy water 
of tbe noil amid the floating cakes borne on 
tbe surface of the swiftly flowing current. 
A pair lived all winter in a hole in a sand- 
bank at Iladley Harbor, Naushon, and from 
tbe reports of fishermen, I infer that at least a 
fourth individual resorted to similar quarters 
at Cuttyhunk, the outermost of the Elizabeth 
chain of islands. The Naushon pair were 
frequently seen in January, viz., nine times; 
but on the following month they changed then- 
fishing grounds and were less frequently 
observed. I heard of them occasionally out on 
the Sound and near Tarpaulen Cove. It is 
said that here, a winter never passes without 
a few Kingfishers remaining over and that 
usually they are more plenty than during the 
season which has just passed, this particular 
scarcity being, no doubt, partially caused by 
the shooting last fall. On the afternoon of 
February 1st, I saw a single Kingfisher at 
Edgartown Harbor. 
1 
0.&O.Vol.l7, June, 1892 p.84 
iy A. B. George. Ibid . — In Michigan. !<* 
|m. Vol, 80 
er. By Fred T. Jencks. Ibid., VI, p. 64. 
Iner. 
ter in Massachusetts. 
fcm. Vole SO 
|d Kingfisher. ‘Kingfisher^; 
Pinnacle.* 
By C. B. Ibid., Feb. 
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