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very ill adapted for running, but admirably calculated for securing a steady foot- 

 ing on slippery stones, whether above or beneath the surface of the water. 



My first opportunities of observing this bird moving under water were in 

 Braemar, in 1819 ; since which time I have had much pleasure in taking notice of 

 it in various parts of the country. In September, 1832, I watched a Dipper for 

 some time, on a part of the Tweed, where the current was very rapid. It flew off 

 from the shore, and alighted in the middle of the stream, where it immediately 

 dived. Re-appearing a little way farther up the river, it floated for a few seconds, 

 dived, emerged, and flew to the opposite bank, on reaching which it again disap- 

 peared under water for a short time, and thus continued its exertions. When 

 perched on a stone near the shore, it usually makes short incursions into the 

 water, apparently for the purpose of procuring food, and returns to its station. 

 On these occasions it is not difficult to approach it, provided due precaution be 

 used ; but in general it is shy and easily alarmed. 



In August, 1834, while ascending White Coom, the highest mountain in 

 Dumfriesshire, accompanied by a boy, I observed a Dipper retreating beneath a 

 large stone, over which the water fell, in the midst of a streamlet that flowed 

 along the bottom of a narrow scar or rut. Imagining that its nest or young 

 might be concealed there, we went up to the place, and, on seeing the bird behind 

 the little waterfall, endeavoured to catch it, on which it sallied forth, plunged into 

 a pool, and attempted to escape down the stream, but without success, for we met 

 it at every turn, and it was obliged to betake itself again to its retreat. We now 

 turned off the water from the stone, when it again plunged into the pool, and 

 after some turnings, at length effected its escape. This bird on emerging at some 

 distance, flew off: and I considered it strange that it had not used its wings from 

 the beginning, as it certainly could have more easily escaped through the air than 

 through the water. The chace afforded another rare opportunity of viewing its 

 subaqueous flight, which, in all probability, was caused by excessive alarm. 



On being wounded, it commonly plunges into the water, flies beneath its sur- 

 face to the shore, and conceals itself among the stones or under the bank. In fact, 

 on all such occasions, if enough of life remains, it is sure to hide itself, so that one 

 requires to look sharply after it. In this respect it greatly resembles the Com- 

 mon Gallinule, or Water-hen. In the winter of 1829, 1 shot one on the Almond, 

 which flew to the other side, walked deliberately out into the water, disappeared, 

 and slowly emerged under a bank at some distance, where I found it after cross- 

 ing the stream. Another had just strength sufficient to fly into a deep hole under 

 a bridge on the Yarrow, partially filled with water, on which it was found floating, 

 dead. In August, 1834, I shot a Dipper on Mannor Water, in Tweeddale, when 

 it flew off, dived, and hid itself under a bank, on which I forded the stream and 

 endeavoured to secure it, but it slipped out under water, swam down the current 

 twenty yards or so, and got under a large stone, where it was traced. The intro- 



