The word “halcyon,” meaning “calm, idyllic, happy times” came from the Greek name for these little guys, who were said to bring, well, halcyon days. I suppose they come out to catch fish when the waters are calm and reflective, and they’re certainly colorful enough to bring a little joy … unless you’re a fish under the water’s surface.
This is a belled kingfisher, and the only information I have on the creator is “New York (State) Commissioners of Fisheries, Game and Forests.” So it’s a belled kingfisher from somewhere upstate, painted by someone who knew how to use watercolors.
I found the image in the University of Washington Library’s Freshwater and Marine Image Bank.