107 



where it resembles that of the diving palmipede birds. The wings, when closed, 

 reach one-third down the tail, and when expanded are of a semi-ovate form, broad 

 and rounded. The first quill is very short and narrow ; the third longest, but 

 the second and fourth are scarcely shorter. The quills are all much curved down- 

 wards, the secondaries slightly bent inwards, all rounded. The tail is short and 

 even. , 



The bill is blueish-black, tinged with brown at the edges ; the inside of the 

 mandibles blackish ; the palate white ; the tongue blackish anteriorly, yellowish 

 behind. Iris pale brown, with a ring of black in the middle. Tarsi and toes 

 blueish grey, tinged with brown ; claws dusky. Head and hind-neck deep brown ; 

 both eye-lids with a white speck. The general colour of the upper parts is dark- 

 grey, each feather broadly margined with black. First row of coverts and all the 

 quills slightly tipped with pale grey ; the quills and tail dark brown, tinged with 

 grey. Throat and fore- neck pure white ; breast chestnut-brown, that colour gra- 

 dually blended with the deep grey of the abdomen. Sides and lower tail-coverts 

 of a lighter grey, the latter slightly tipped with pale-brown. The down and the 

 downy parts of the feathers, are dull dark-greyish-blue, the concealed part of the 

 shafts whitish. 



The oesophagus is two inches long, its glandular part five-twelfths. The sto- 

 mach is oblong, compressed, muscular, the cuticular coat hard and rugous. Intes- 

 tine twelve inches long, diminishing a little in diameter towards the coeca, which 

 come off at the distance of about an inch from the extremity, and are only ^ of 

 an inch in length. 



The entire length is 7| inches ; bill |- along the ridge, 9-8ths along the edge ; 

 extent of wings 12£ ; wing from flexure 3| ; longest quill 2|- ; tail 2£ ; tarsus 1£, 

 middle toe 1^-. 



The female differs very little from the male in external appearance, the brown 

 of the head being merely a little lighter, the brownish-red of the breast less 

 intense, and the white of the fore-neck of somewhat less extent. Length 1\ ; 

 bill } ; extent of wings 11 ; tarsus 1^; middle toe 1 and l-16th inches. 



Adult individuals vary chiefly with respect to the tints of the breast, that part 

 having more or less of the red or chestnut colour, and sometimes a white band 

 down the centre. The changes that take place in the plumage, as it becomes old 

 and worn, are not very remarkable. The tail-feathers and primary quills are 

 those which suffer most from rubbing. 



The Dipper frequents the sides of rivers and streams of inferior magnitude, 

 especially such as are clear and rapid, with pebbly or rocky margins. I have met 

 with it in every part of Scotland, as well as in the hilly portions of Cumberland 

 and Westmoreland ; and it is said, by Montagu, to occur in Wales and Devon- 

 shire. In Scotland, it is not peculiar to the mountainous regions, being found in 

 the lowest parts of the Lothians, as well as on the alpine rills of the Grampians, 



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