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and other elevated tracts ; but it is generally more abundant in hilly ground, and, 

 although never common in any district, is nowhere more plentiful than on the. 

 Tweed and its tributaries in the pastoral counties of Peebles and Selkirk. It is 

 also a well-known bird in all the larger Hebrides. It is not only a permanent 

 resident, but seldom shifts its station to any great extent, excepting during con- 

 tinued frosts, when it descends along the streams, and is seen flitting about by the 

 rapids and falls. On lakes having a muddy or peaty bottom I have never observ- 

 ed it ; but it may sometimes be seen on those which are shallow and pebbly at the 

 margins, as on St. Mary's Loch, where I have shot it. 



The flight of the Dipper is steady, direct, and rapid, like that of the King- 

 fisher, being effected by regularly timed and quick beats of the wings, without 

 intermissions or sailings. It perches on stones or projecting crags by the sides of 

 streams, or in the water, where it may be seen frequently inclining the breast 

 downwards, and jerking up the tail, much in the manner of the Wheatear and 

 Stonechat, and still more of the Wren ; its legs bent, its neck retracted, and its 

 wings slightly drooping. It plunges into the water, not dreading the force of the 

 current, dives and makes its way beneath the surface, generally moving against 

 the stream, and often with surprising speed. It does not, however, immerse itself 

 head foremost, like the Kingfisher, the Tern, or the Gannet ; but either walks out 

 into the water, or alights upon its surface, and then plunges like an Auk or Guil- 

 lemot. I have seen it moving under water in situations where I could observe it 

 with certainty, and I readily perceived that its actions were precisely similar to 

 those of the Divers, Mergansers, and Cormorants, which I have often watched 

 from an eminence as they pursued the shoals of Sand-eels along the sandy shores 

 of the Hebrides. It, in fact, flew — not merely using the wing from the carpal 

 joint, but extending it considerably and employing its whole extent, just as if mov- 

 ing in the air. The general direction of the body in these circumstances is 

 obliquely downwards ; and great force is evidently used to counteract the effects of 

 gravity, the bird finding it difficult to keep itself at the bottom. Montagu well 

 describes the appearance which it presents under such circumstances i — " In one 

 or two instances, where we have been able to perceive it under water, it appeared 

 to tumble about in a very extraordinary manner, with its head downwards, as if 

 picking something ; and at the same time great exertion was used, both by the 

 wings and legs." When searching for food, it does not proceed to great distances 

 under water ; but, alighting on some spot, sinks, and soon reappears in the imme- 

 diate neighbourhood, when it either dives again, or rises on the wing to drop some- 

 where else on the stream, or settle on a stone. The assertion of its walking be- 

 low the water, which some persons have ventured, is not made good by observa- 

 tion nor countenanced by reason. The Dipper is by no means a walking bird : 

 even on land I have never seen it move more than a few steps, which it accom- 

 plished by a kind of leaping motion. Its short legs and long curved claws are 



