CINCLID.E — THE DIPPERS. 



55 



Family CINCLIDJE. — The Dippeks. 



On page 2 will be found the characteristics of this family, which need not 

 be here repeated. There is only a single genus, Cinchts, with four American 

 species, and several from Europe and Asia. 



Genus CINCLUS, Bechstein. 



Hydrohata, "Vieillot, Analyse, 181(3 (Ag.). — Baied, B. N. A. 229. 



Cinclus, Bechstein, Gemein. Naturg. 1802. (Not of Moehring, 1752. Type Sturnus cin- 

 clus, L.) — Salvin, Ibis, 1867, 109. (Monograph.) 



Gen. Char. Bill without any bristles at the base ; slender, subulate ; the mandible 

 bent slightly upward; the culmen slightly concave to near the tip, which is much curved 



and notched ; the commissural edges of the 

 bill finely nicked towards end. Feet large 

 and strong, the toes projecting considerably 

 beyond the tail ; the claws large. Lateral 

 toes equal. Tail very short and even; not 

 two thirds the wings, which are concave 

 and somewhat falcate. Tlie first primary 

 is more than one fourth the longest. Eggs 

 white. 



Cinclus mexicaniis. 



The slightly upward bend of the 

 bill, somewhat as in ^ nthus, renders 

 the culmen concave, and the commissure slightly convex. Tlie maxilla at 

 base is nearly as high as the man- ^-.; 



dible ; tlie whole bill is much com- 

 pressed and attenuated. The lat- 

 eral claws barely reach the base of 

 the middle one, which is broad ; 

 the inner face extended into a 

 horny lamina, with one or two 

 notches or pectinations somewhat 

 as in Caprimv.lgidcc. The stiffened 

 sub-falcate wings are quite re- 

 markable. The tail is so short that 

 the upper coverts extend nearly to 

 its tip. 



The species are all dull-colored birds, usually brown, sometimes varied 

 with white on the head, back, or throat. They inhabit mountainous sub- 

 alpine regions abounding in rapid streams, and always attract attention 

 by their habjt of feeding under water, searching among the gravel and 

 stones for their insect prey. 



_^SS^^^K 



Cinclus ntexicanus. 



