Belted Kingfisher 
209 
the indigestible skin, bones, and scales of the 
fish are thrown up without the least nausea. 
A certain part of a favourite lake or stream 
this fisherman patrols with a sense of ownership 
and rarely leaves it. Alone, but self-satisfied, 
he clatters up and do^vn his beat as a police- 
man, going his rounds, might sound his rattle 
from time to time. The rattle-headed bird 
knows every pool where minnows play, every 
projection along the bank where a fish might 
hide, and is ever on the alert, not only to catch a 
dinner, but to escape from the sight of the child 
who intrudes on his domain and wants to 
“know” him. You cannot mistake this big, 
chunky bird, fully a foot long, with grayish- 
blue upper parts, the long, strong wings and 
short, square tail dotted in broken bars of 
white, and with a heavy, bluish band across his 
white breast. His mate and children wear 
rusty bands instead of blue. The crested 
feathers on top of his big, powerful head reach 
backward to the nape like an Indian chief’s 
feather bonnet, and give him distinction. 
Under his thick, oily plumage, as waterproof 
as a duck’s, he wears a suit of down under- 
clothing. 
No doubt you have heard that all birds are 
descended from reptile ancestors ; that feathers 
are but modified scales, and that a bird’s song 
is but the glorified hiss of the serpent. Then 
