514 



PERCHING BIRDS 



change for which, of course, there is no justification. Since, however, 

 " dipper " is very generally employed as the designation of this group, 

 it may be added that it refers, not, as might be supposed, to the 

 aquatic nature of these birds, but rather to their habit of constantly 

 lowering and raising their heads when on land — in other words, 

 bowing. 



Water-ouzels are found throughout the northern hemisphere, and 

 also descend some distance into the southern half of the New World. 

 By some writers they are regarded as a group of thrushes specially 

 modified for a particular mode of existence, this view being apparently 



to a great extent based on the 



Pfact that the plumage of the 

 young is spotted. On the other 

 hand, there are some ornitho- 

 logists by whom these birds are 

 ^^^^^^^^^^^ regarded as relatives of the wren, 



r ^^^^^^^^^^V mainl)' on account of the short- 



ness of their wings and the 

 character of their nests — both 

 r "^^^H^ purely adaptive features. As a 



I^^^Hft If matter of fact, water-ouzels do 



^^^^V ^JU not show any characteristics 



^^^^H .^flP^'^^^ which decisively justify their in- 



^ ^^^ elusion in one family rather than 



^^* £m^ J^^^^k. another, and they are accordingly 



best regarded as representing a 

 family group — the Cinclida,' — 

 by themselves. 



In addition to the spotted 

 plumage of the young, water-ouzels are characterised by the entire 

 absence of bristles at the gape of the beak, and the presence of a 

 membrane covering the nostrils ; the beak is about as long as the head, 

 straight and narrow for the greater part of its length, but bent down at 

 the tip, which is notched ; the wings are short and rounded, and the 

 tail is also very short, while the shank of the leg is long, and covered 

 with smooth horny^ plates. The sexes are alike in plumage, but the 

 hen is rather larger than her mate. 



The water-ouzel is a striking and handsomely coloured bird, having 

 the crown and sides of the head, as well as the back of the neck, sooty 

 brown ; the back and wings dark slaty gre\', with broad black 

 margins to the feathers ; the throat pure white, as is the upper part of 



RO STUDIOS 



\V.\TKK-(JLZi:i. 



