78 
TIIE KINGFISHER. 
by repeatedly putting in an egg to the young Cuckoo; 
which he always found to be disposed of in a similar 
manner. 
THE KINGFISHER. (. Alcedo ispida.') 
This bird is nearly as small as a common sparrow, but 
the head and beak appear proportionally too big for the 
body. The bright blue of the back and wings claims our 
admiration, as it changes into deep purple or lively green, 
according to the angles of light under which the bird pre- 
sents itself to the eye. It is generally seen on the banks 
of rivers, for the purpose of seizing small fish, on which it 
subsists, and which it takes in amazing quantities, by 
balancing itself at a distance above the water for a certain 
time, and then darting on the fish with unerring aim. It 
dives perpendicularly into the water, where it continues 
several seconds, and then brings up the fish, which it car- 
rier to the land, beats to death, and afterwards swallows. 
When the bird cannot find a projecting bough, it sits on 
some stone near the brink, or even on the gravel ; but the 
moment it perceives the fish, it takes a spring upwards of 
twelve or fifteen feet, and drops from that height upon its 
prey. 
