These being mostly fingerlings, prob- 
ably 90 per cent have been placed in the 
water by the State, which forbids his 
destruction. Were it possible to count 
the number of these birds living and 
breeding in the States of New York, 
New Jersey and Pennsylvania alone, it 
would be found that millions of fish are 
annually destroyed by this active bird. 
HE Belted Kingfisher is a saucy and 
cute bird. He well knows what a 
gun is for, and, the moment he sees the 
man with a gun, he will fly off with 
astonishing swiftness, making loud, 
dissonant screeches to show his dis- 
pleasure. The average person visiting 
the country rarely gets a good view of 
him, so shy and so timid is he when 
disturbed in his honest efforts to earn 
a living. It is the angler who wades 
silently along a trout stream who is en- 
abled to watch and study his habits, 
for the bird seems to know the fishing- 
rod can do him no harm. No matter 
where or to what stream the writer 
goes to fish, the Kingfisher is there be- 
fore him, and, with only his beak to 
fish with, whatever the conditions and 
weather he beats the angler at the game 
—every time. 
During an angling trip to Chautau- 
qua Lake for mascalonge, I had a rare 
opportunity from a boat, hidden in the 
tall weeds, to watch a pair of these 
birds, the sketches to this article being 
the result. 
HEY are excessively shy, difficult to 
shoot, and, when once shot at, and 
not brought down, they will leave their 
favorite haunts for days, gradually 
working their way back, carefully spy- 
ing around for the gun, or even the 
Being 
man, they keeping at a distance. 

Lows 
Reso 
ieee 
very anxious to secure 
one, for the purpose of 
close study, I asked a 
young farmer (an excel- 
lent shot) to get one. 
“Oh, yes; easy!” he re- 
plied. Yet for some days 
he followed up a pair. 
without getting within 
range, after the first un- 
successful shot had been 
fired. He explained: 
They were all aware of 
the deadliness of his gun, 
for on numerous occa- 
sions they gave him 
chances when he carried 
no gun; so he had to 
trap one — fortunately 
they are easily taken in 
this way. 
cle trap should be 
fastened on the top 
of stakes driven in the 
water near their fishing 
haunts; these stakes 
should be 10 feet long, 
with a small, flat piece of 
wood nailed to the top to ZG 
support the trap; simply CAG 
have it set, so that the - ee A, Md 
little plate of the trap is & 
the highest point. 
trap should be securely ee 
fastened to the stake by = 
a cord or chain, and the ae ees 
birds will invariably fly 
to these stakes, and so 
get caught. A small 
round steel trap will be 
best. In this way many 
birds can be captured without the aid 
of the gun and with much less trouble. 
On half a mile of the Caledonia Spring 


“With a plunge, he darts into the water, scattering the members of 
the finny tribe” 

Ye y /} yy yt 
yg GO iy, 



Mh 
TOES ie geet = ie 

“He trims and oils his wet and ruffled 
feathers” 
Creek, in northern New York, one hun- 
dred and eighty Kingfishers were 
trapped in one season. It can readily 
be understood what a pest fish cultur- 
ists regard them, for what must it be, 
during the nesting season, with five 
young ones that quickly imitate their 
parents’ voracity, and, when fully 
grown, wage the same destructive war, 
without molestation and restraint. 
ATURE has provided no destroyer, 
for the Kingfisher is a bold and 
defiant bird, swift of flight; armed with 
a powerful lance-like beak, he is well 
able to take care of himself and is a 
match for all comers. For that reason 
he should be trapped and killed. Thus 
we have the ludicrous spectacle of the 
State spending one hundred thousand 
dollars annually on fish and game prop- 
agation, under undoubtedly competent 
officials, and these same officials are 
eaually severe in punishing by heavy 
fines any or all who take, or have in 
their possession this bird, which cer- 
tainly destroys 60 per cent of the work 
(Continued on page 120); 
: 83 
