The Scottish Naturalist. 159 



prising 18 species, also all common. Then in the contents to Vol. 

 V. I found the following : " List of Desmidieae observed in the 

 neighbourhood cf Dundee," by W. M. Ogilvie, to which I turned 

 eagerly, and to my disgust read the following, instead of the list : 

 ''This list embraced upwards of 50 species, many of them rare!" 

 I gave up the quest. 



The members of this Union could render great assistance in an 

 investigation of this kind, either by working up the Desmids of their 

 own neighbourhoods, or by sending the material to me. The study 

 is rendered easier now, by the publication of Cooke's "British 

 Desmids," a work which, though defective in many respects, and 

 with figures too frequently not good, will bo found of much assistance. 



I might perhaps be expected to say something about Diatoms ; but 

 in the first place, these remarks have run to a greater length than I 

 intended, and in the second place, anything I could say would be 

 second-hand, for, except in a general way, I do not pretend to know 

 Diatoms. 



I now, therefore, bring these somewhat rambling remarks to a 

 close, with the expression of the hope that this Union, young in 

 years, will long continue a strength and a power for scientific impulse 

 and progress in this district. 



NOTES ON THE DIPPER, WATER OUZEL, OE WATER CROW. 



( Cinclus aq nations. ) 



By R. N. Kerr, Dundee. 



MY object in writing these notes on the Dipper one of our 

 most interesting and singularly remarkable little birds, is to 

 add a few more proofs against the statement made by several orni- 

 thologists that it feeds upon, and, therefore, destroys " vast quantities" 

 of the salmon ova. 



It would be presumptuous on the part of any one to say that the 

 dipper never eats the ova ; but I am of opinion, after fifteen years 

 careful observation, that its doing so is the exception, not the rule. 



The cruel hand of persecution has been put forth against this 

 innocent bird ; and the result is that in many parts of the country 

 he is rarely seen, except in the loneliest cleuchs and glens. 



Jardine in his British Birds (Vol. IT., p. 7), says : " In the north 

 of Scotland this little bird is persecuted for its supposed depredations; 

 a reward of sixpence is put upon its head ; and in one Highland dis- 

 trict we have the factor's authenticated report of 548 having been 



