16
AN UNGAINI-Y
AN
UNGAINLY
KINGFISHER.
KINGFISHER.
BY GEORGE B I R D .
THE Kingfisher's palace was excavated in a Sandbank overlooking the lake in Orwell Park; but their majesties' gorgeous apparel compensated for so modest a dwelling. One day I ensconced myself in a hide to watch the charming Stretch of lake that was wholly shut in by noble and floral trees ; underfoot late primroses, bluebells and early campions flowered profusely in the afternoon sunshine. On the edge of greensward running down to the water stood the Lady of the Manor, a graceful figure, rod in hand, casting for a pike ; while near her waited one hefty keeper bearing the ready net and spear. Comes a soft rustling of wing-beats, and a mere flash of iridescent plumage disappears within the tiny entrance to the palace of the Kingfishers (Alcedo ispida, L.). But architecture is yet a budding science in their world : that space does not allow even the King room to turn himself around. So, after a few moments indoors, he makes a gauche though certainly spectacular exit rearwards ; for, as he approached the bank-face, loose sand gave way beneath his feet and he effected a most ungainly double-somersault before recovering his equilibrium sufficiently to fly away. Long I continued to catch faint glimpses of bright objects' passage through the entrance, and scrambling departures. T h e speed at which the entry was negociated seemed almost that of an express train, and in such shocking contrast to the exit that I ventured with two lengths of stick to form a fair fulcrum for his Majesty before the portal of his abode. Such consideration was soon rewarded, for the King condescended to not only grace my platform with his august feet but there posed for his photograph. T o describe him as arrayed in all the spectrum's hues or even the biblical coat of many colours were to do no less than justice to the scintillating creature. His vestment was a cobalt-blue, with chestnut-red waistcoat; the dark greenish-blue of his wingcoverts and his crown was again relieved by spots of cobalt-blue ; azure stripes bounded the argent of his cheek, while the fine jewelled eye glittered bright in the sunshine. Unlike the Pelican, he carried nutriment for the royal household displayed in his long and powerful beak, which provender took the unvarying form of a Tiddler (Gasterosteus aculeatus, L.). T h e King being thus duly snapped, his Queen-fisher most graciously allowed me to take her portraiture also (as is given here) ; but, although her guise was no less sumptuous, she lacked the lustre of her lord— which is rather vexing to a Queen ! M y next visit should scrape some sort of acquaintance with the Princes of this dynasty.
THE
UNGAINLY
KINGFISHER.