PALLAS' DIPPER. 281 



Temminck, and supposed to have been found by Pallas in the Crimea, 

 are identical with ours ; notwithstanding the localities are so widely 

 distant from each other, as well as from that whence ours comes, which 

 however it will be perceived, is intermediate between them. 



It has been frequently remarked by us, and the fact is now well 

 established, that many birds of Mexico, entirely unknown in the 

 Atlantic territories of the United States, are met with in the interior, 

 and especially along the range of the Rocky Mountains, at considerably 

 higher latitudes. But it was not to be expected that a Mexican species 

 should extend so far north as the Athabasca Lake, where our specimen 

 was procured. The circumstance is however the less surprising in birds 

 of this genus, as their peculiar habits will only allow them to live in 

 certain districts. The case is similar with the Dipper of the old conti- 

 nent, which, though widely dispersed, is only seen in mountainous and 

 rocky countries. Though we do not see any improbability in the 

 American species inhabiting the eastern Asiatic shore, we prefer believ- 

 ing that the specimens on which Temminck established the species, and 

 whose supposed native place was the Crimea, were in fact American. 

 The two species are so much alike in size, shape, and even color, as to 

 defy the attempts of the most determined system-maker to separate 

 them into different groups. 



The single species of which the genus Cinclus had hithei'to consisted, 

 was placed in Sturnus by Linne, and by Scopoli, with much more pro- 

 priety, in Motacilla. Latham referred it to Turdus. Brisson, mistak- 

 ing for affinity the strong and curious analogy which it bears to the 

 waders, considered it as belonging to the genus Tringa (Sandpipers). 

 Bechstein, Illiger, Cuvier, and all the best modern authorities, have 

 regarded it as the type of a natural genus, for Avhich they have unani- 

 mously retained the name of Cinclus, given by Bechstein, Vieillot alone 

 dissenting, and calling it Hydrohata. This highly characteristic name, 

 notwithstanding its close resemblance in sound and derivation to one 

 already employed by Illiger as the name of a family, appears to be a 

 great favorite with recent ornithologists, as they have applied it succes- 

 sively to several different genera, and Temminck has lately attempted 

 to impose it on the genus of Ducks which I had named FuUgula. In 

 my system, the genus Cinclus must take its place in the family Canori, 

 between the genera Turdus and Myiothera. 



The Dippers, or Water-Ouzels, are well distinguished by their pecu- 

 liar shaped bill, which is compressed-subulate, slightly bent upwards, 

 notched, and with its edges bent in, and finely denticulated from the 

 middle ; but more especially by their long, stout, perfectly smooth tarsi, 

 with the articulation exposed, a character which is proper to the order 

 of waders, of which they have also the habits, nay, are still more aquatic 

 than any of them. Their plumage also being thick, compact, and oily, 



