The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-29
DEATH OF NOTED BIRD OF PREY.
A Ixinghsher That Was known by
All Frequentcrs of ChicngO's Lin
coin Park.
From the Chicago Tribune.


From the Chicago Tribune.
Lincoln Parks kingfisher sacrificed him
self to the cause of science yesterday
morning. committing suicide by deliber-
ately dashing himself against the win
dow of the Academy of Sciences. This
belted knight of the bird family, aptIy
named the belted kngfisher, has for
three years past had his perch on a tel
ephone wire stretched over the South pond,
and has caught undisturbed thousands of
goldfish and sinners, which have in the
eating tickled his palate, and in the catch
ing amused crowds of park visitors.
He came to Lincoln Park one cold
March day in 1898. There had been warm
days preceding, and the pond was open
and alive with fish. They tempted him
and he dropped down from his nothern
flight to stay a while. He remained I'M
til October and soon became accustom-
ed to the people on the surface. He would
drop from the telephone wire and snatch
a fish from the water before the very
PROV of a moving boat. He was the only
kinghsher about the pond that year. In
1894 he came back from his southern trip
and was seen on his perch on a willow
branch that extended over the pond the
afternoon on March II. The pond was
frozen, all but a small patch in the center.
Alcyon as scientists called this royal
fisher, had a hard time getting anything
to eat. Some shrikes, which had made
the park their hunting ground all winter,
alighted near the stranger with the pos
sfble intent of making a meal of him.
When they approached too near he turn
ed his head and sprung his weird cry full
in their faces.
1t sounded more like a watchman's old
time rattle than anything else. and the
shrikes fed incontinently. The Usher bird
was disturbed no more. He stayed all
summer and a goOdly part OF the fail, bai-
ancing himself through the day and night
on the telephone wire, and until the light
faf1a cd he 81 hChpn
He was watched carefully from week to
week by men interested in bird habits,
who had heard that the belted knight had
remained a bachelor during the summer
previous. He showed no inclination TO
change his condition in 1894, and, in fact,
chased away with great clamor two I'M
fortunate females whom he suspected OF
an intent either to propose to him or to
poach on his preserves.
Alcyon fished the summer through, and
found society enough IN the crowds on
the banks of the pond He preferred shin
ers to goldfish, though he ate both, and
the bullhead had no attraction for him.
He brought his steel-blue coat his
brown belt, and his knightly crest of featn-
ers back from the south again early last
spring. He lived bachelor life all this
last spring and summer and caught fish
enough to delight the soul of the piscator-
ial saint to whom he is sacred st. Peter.
The kingfshers was seen on his 4wire
perch yesterday morning. Whether he
was tired Of goldfish and pond sinners az
articles of steady diet, or whether he was
weary of bachelor life and became dis
cOuraged because ne knew OF his ina bl1ty
to change his condition until next spring.
will not be known. Certain il is
that he rose from his wire resting place
Just before noon, and, instead of making
his usual simicircular dive for the waters
surface, the kingfsher rose above the
trees, and, heading for the Academy OF
Sciences, dashed himself against a win
dow pane and fell dead.
The children who miss him from his
perch over the pond will find him glass
Cd M cfHffnH Innlxinu Drrf Of tBaa rr~fr
dow against which he met his death.
HOAX was trying to think of a mans
name to-day, and / couldn't. Then all OF
a sudden a shower came up Joax-
Well what had that to do with it?
Hosx-Everything his name was McIn-
tosb Erie Messanper