Kingfishers
 By C. W. CHORLEY


 As may easily be imagined, such conspicuous birds as kingfishers were
the subject of legends in the past as well as to-day. In the old Greek fables king-
fishers were the symbol of Alcyone, who threw herself into the sea when her hus-
band, Ceyx, lost his life in a shipwreck. The Greek gods admired this proof of
affection so much that they gave the pair a new existence as kingfishers and
masters of the sea.
 Kingfishers were a mystery to the Greeks because they could not find any
nests and consequently thought that the kingfisher made its nests on the sea and
possessed magical powers, given to it by Zeus, of calming the wind and sea during
the period of incubation. They noted that the young birds appeared each year
during the calm days before the winter storms, so the kingfishers were thought
to be responsible for the "halcyon days" of peace, and were greatly honoured
and held in high favour in consequence. Ornithologists, however, have deprived
the kingfisher of this halo of glory, for he is no longer an immortal or king of the
waters, and other birds are just as efficient fishermen.
 There is still in many parts of England a superstition that a kingfisher stuffed
with wood-ash and rape-seed and suspended from the ceiling will forecast the
coming weather by pointing its bill towards the direction from which rain will come.
 The islanders and many of the natives of the mainland are very superstitious
about various species of birds, especially the owls, doves and the little Pigmy
Kingfisher (Ispidina picta), with its brilliantly coloured metallic blue plumage and
coral-red bill and legs. The islanders are in great dread of this bird and it is hated
by them. If it appears near their camp or dwellings it is thought to be an omen
of death. There are several coincidences with regard to this which would be far
too long to mention in this paper.
 Eleven species of kingfishers are known to occur in Uganda, and all of them
are known as akasimagizi except the Pied Kingfisher, which is called mujolo.
They are a striking group of birds, all having long bills, a comparatively short body
and tail, and round wings, and are not easily mistaken for any other group. Their
colourings are very variable, from very sober and dull tints or plain black and white
to the most brilliant plumage. As may be gathered from the name, many of them
feed on fish, but others have different habits and do not eat fish; some are found in the
forests far from water, others take to the bush, while the beautiful Senegal Kingfisher
(Halcyon senegalensis), with sky-blue wings and large crimson beak, is in no way
fastidious in choosing a locality as it may be found in the bush, on the edge of
forests, or in the open plains. When at rest upon a branch it sits in rather a
lumpy attitude, with its chin resting upon its breast, arousing itself at intervals to