o shed her tear on Fanny's grave!

_Kirton Lindsey._

ANNE R.

* * * * *

THE "HALCYON" BIRD.

(_To the Editor._)

The Halcyon is now only known by the name of the King Fisher (_ispida_,
the _alcedo ispida_ of Linnaeus), a very beautiful bird, frequenting
waters, and feeding on fish. It builds in deep holes in the banks of
rivers, and lays five, or, according to some, nine eggs. It much
approaches to the Picus, or Woodpecker, in many points; but wants its
great character, which is, the having two toes behind. The legs of this
bird are very short, and are black before and red behind; its colours,
particularly its green and blue, which are its general ones, are
extremely bright and beautiful. It takes its prey after the manner of
the Osprey, balancing itself at a certain distance over the water for
a considerable space, and then darting below the surface, brings up the
prey in its feet. While it remains suspended in the air, on a bright
day, the plumage exhibits a most beautiful variety of very dazzling
and brilliant colours.

This bird was called Halcyon by the ancients. Aristotle has described
the bird and its nest; which, according to him, resembled those
concretions that are formed by the sea water, and fashioned in the shape
of a long necked gourd, hollow within, but so narrow at the entrance,
that if it overset the water could not enter. This nest was called
Halcyoneum, and had medical virtues ascribed to it: it was also a
floating one; and therefore it was necessary for the poets who have
described it to place it on a tranquil sea, and to supply the bird with
charms to allay the fury of a turbulent element during its incubation,
for it had at that season power over the seas and winds. During the days
of this bird's incubation, in the depth of winter, the mariner might
sail in full security; and therefore they were called "Halcyon Days."

_Lambeth._

WALTER E.C.

* * * * *

(_From another Correspondent._)

In the agreeable communications of your correspondents, they seem in
their quotations to have overlooked the following, from Dryden:--

"Secure as when the halcyon breeds, with these
He that was born to drown might cross the seas."
_Astraea Redux._

And again, in his stanzas on the death of Oliver Cromwell--

"And wars have that respect for his repose
As winds for halcyons when they breed at sea."

Cowley likewis