10G 



sides sloping outwards, the dorsal line slightly convex, the ridge narrow and 

 rounded, the tip rather acute. Mouth very narrow ; upper mandible internally 

 narrow, concave, with a central depressed line ; palate nearly flat ; aperture of the 

 posterior nares linear, margined with acute papillae ; lower mandible concave, with 

 a central prominent line. Tongue slightly extensile, sagittate, narrow, grooved, 

 serrulato-setose towards the end, and terminated by two bristle-points. (Esopha- 

 gus of nearly uniform diameter; proventriculus with oblong simple glandules. 

 Stomach muscular, compressed, with two roundish central tendons ; its cuticular 

 coat dense, tough, and rugous. Intestine of nearly uniform diameter ; two very 

 small vermiform coeca. 



Nostrils linear, direct, with a bare margin above, in the lower and fore part of 

 the nasal membrane, which is covered with very short feathers. Eyes rather 

 small ; eyelids densely feathered. Aperture of external ear round, of moderate 

 size. 



Head oblong, rather small, compressed, the forehead low. Neck rather short. 

 Body compact, rather deeper than broad. Legs strong, of ordinary length ; tar- 

 sus compressed, covered anteriorly with a long undivided plate and four inferior 

 scutella, posteriorly with two long plates united at a very acute angle, and several 

 transverse rugae below. Toes rather large and strong, covered above with a few 

 plates, papillar beneath ; first, second, and fourth nearly equal, third much longer ; 

 second slightly connected at the base, by a web, with the third, which is connected 

 with the fourth by a longer but narrower web, as far as the second joint of each. 

 Claws short, bluntish, much compressed, slightly margined, laterally grooved, that 

 of the hind toe considerably larger. 



Plumage ordinary, rather compact, the feathers oblong and rounded ; those 

 about the base of the bill very short and somewhat velvety, without bristly points. 

 No bristles at the base of the bill. Wings rather short, broad, rounded ; primary 

 quills ten, the first very short and narrow, the third longest, and, with the next 

 three, slightly cut out on the outer web towards the end ; secondary quills nine, 

 long, broad, rounded ; all the quills much decurved. Tail short, even, of twelve 

 broadish feathers, which are slightly decurved. Legs feathered to the tibio-tarsal 

 joint. The whole body closely covered with down, as in the diving sea-birds. 



Cinclus aquaticus, — (Bechst). The Common Dipper. 



The Dipper, Water Ouzel, or Water Crow, is remarkable for the compact- 

 ness of its form, in which respect, as well as in some of its motions and attitudes, 

 it bears more resemblance to the Kingfisher and the Common Wren, than to any 

 other British bird. Among foreign birds, the species of the genus Pitta, are 

 those which approach nearest to it in form. Its plumage is of ordinary length, 

 soft, rather compact, slightly glossed, very short on the fore part of the head, 



