kingfisher

But he was not to enjoy himself long, for the duck was telling all her neighbours about the ill-usage her little one had received; and the mischief-making little wagtail thought as he had seen the lanky bird eating what he called the kingfisher's fishes, he would go and tell, and then sit on the bank and see the quarrel there would be; for he considered that the heron had no more business to take the fish out of the pond than the toad had to catch flies.

Featherland How the Birds lived at Greenlawn George Manville Fenn 1870

Some think, as the original name racham denotes "tenderness," "affection," the halcyon or kingfisher is intended [Calmet].

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible 1871

The great blue kingfisher, which is common here, is so tame, as scarcely to move, as the boat passes, and we frequently saw, and passed close to large alligators, which generally appeared to be asleep, stretched on the half-floating logs.

The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction Volume 10, No. 285, December 1, 1827 Various

I began to wonder how the rattle of a kingfisher, which is one of the commonest sounds on wilderness waters, could scare a bear, who knows all the sounds of the wilderness perfectly.

Secret of the Woods William Joseph Long 1909

Koskomenos the kingfisher is a kind of outcast among the birds.

Secret of the Woods William Joseph Long 1909

She had found the description of it, as worn by Mrs. Titus W. Trout, in an American fashion paper; it was of what was described as kingfisher blue, and had lumps and wedges of lace round the edge of the skirt, and orange chiffon round the neck.

Miss Mapp 1903

Such, for instance, is the case with the hen kingfisher, which is one of the brightest of British birds and one of the very few which make their nests underground; the hen woodpecker, which is also gaily colored and builds in hollow trees, forms a second instance.

A Book of Natural History Young Folks' Library Volume XIV. Various 1891

The kingfisher is a sacred bird which should always be respected; knowing this, I let it alight and did not stir, for fear of frightening it.

Laboulaye's Fairy Book Edouard Laboulaye 1847

Even though guidebooks refer to the kingfisher as a common bird, it can be a challenge to find, although with its fish-oriented diet it is invariably found near water.

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What further inclined her to clemency, was that this very evening the crimson-lake tea-gown would shed its effulgence over Mrs. Poppit's bridge-party, and Diva would never want to hear the word "kingfisher" again.

Miss Mapp 1903