2o8 Birds Every Child Should Know 
BELTED KINGFISHER 
Called also: The Halcyon 
This Izaak Walton of birddom, whom you 
may see perched as erect as a fish hawk on a 
snag in the lake, creek or river, or on a dead 
limb projecting over the water, on the lookout 
for minnows, chub, red fins, samlets or any 
other small fry that swims past, is as expert as 
any fisherman you are ever likely to know. 
Sharp eyes are necessary to see a little fish 
where sunbeams dance on the ripples and the 
refracted light plays queer tricks with one’s 
vision. Once a victim is sighted, how swiftly 
the lone fisherman dives through the air and 
water after it, and how accurately he strikes 
its death-blow behind the gills! If the fish be 
large and lusty it may be necessary to carry it 
to the snag and give it a few sharp knocks with 
his long powerful bill to end its struggles. 
These are soon over, but the kingfisher’s have 
only begun. See him gag and writhe as he 
swallows his dinner, head first, and then, re- 
gretting his haste, brings it up again to try a 
wider avenue down his throat! Somebody 
shot a kingfisher which had tried to swallow so 
large a fish that the tail was sticking out of his 
mouth, while its head was safely stored below 
in the bird’s stomach. After the meat digests, 
