76 
LITTLE FOLKS 
His cry — which gives him his name — is a laugh, and is very- 
startling to one who does not know it. He is very inquisitive, and 
when he sees' a fire he is sure to come as near as possible, and 
suddenly startle those around it by his dreadful laugh. It makes a 
panic among the strangers, but those who have heard it before, 
coolly proceed to shoot Mr. Kingfisher, and broil him over the 
coals. 
This odd creature makes his home in a hollow tree, where he 
guards the pretty white eggs with zealous care, readily fighting any 
one who ventures too near. 
His dress is olive brown, the wings mostly black, and the 
breast white. His tail is rather long and of a chestnut color 
tipped with white. Although he is not so beautiful as some 
others, he is a very pretty bird. 
Another Australian Kingfisher is very fond of crabs and 
shrimps, to obtain which, he takes up his residence on the sea 
shore. 
He is a noisy bird, and his cry is like the shriek of a person 
in distress. When a party of these boisterous birds get together 
on one tree, they seem to exert themselves to see who shall make 
the most noise, and the result is said to be perfectly deafening. 
