WATER OUZEL. 301 



catching trout, but I was unsuccessful. I saw 

 some taken by nets, but the fish were too few, 

 and the river too foul, from the deposition of 

 calcareous matter, to render it a good stream 

 for the angler. In this journey I saw some 

 trout in brooks in the Sabine country, that I 

 dare say might have been taken by the fly, 

 but they were small, and like the brook trout 

 of England. In these streams, as well as in 

 the Velino and other torrents, I found the 

 water-ouzel, which, as far as my knowledge 

 extends, is always a companion of the trout, 

 and I believe feeds much upon the same 

 larvae of water-flies. 



Orn. — These singular little birds, as I have 

 witnessed, walk under water. I have often 

 watched them running beneath the surface of 

 the sides of streams, and passing between 

 stones. I conclude they were then in the act 

 of searching for, or feeding upon, larvae. 



Hal. — I suppose so; and I hope Ornither 

 will shoot one to give us an opportunity of 

 examining the contents of their stomachs, and 

 of knowing with certainty the nature of their 

 food. 



