COMMON DIPPER. 175 



vray observes, " I have seen the Dipper moving under water 

 in situations where I could observe it with certainty ; and I 

 readily perceived that its actions were precisely similar to 

 those of the Divers, Mergansers, and Cormorants, which I 

 have often watched from an eminence as they pursued the 

 shoals of sand-eels along the sandy shores of the Hebrides. 

 It, in fact, flew, not merely using the wing from the carpal 

 joint, but extending it considerably, and employing its whole 

 extent, just as if moving in the air. The general direction 

 of the body in these circumstances is obliquely downwards ; 

 and great force is evidently used to counteract the effects of 

 gravity, the bird finding it difficult to keep itself at the 

 bottom. Montagu well describes the appearance which 

 it presents under such circumstances : in one or two in- 

 stances, where we have been able to perceive it under 

 water, it appeared to tumble about in a very extraordinary 

 manner, with its head downwards, as if picking something ; 

 and at the same time great exertion was used, both by wings 

 and legs. When searching for food, it does not proceed to 

 great distances under water; but, alighting on some spot, 

 sinks, and soon reappears in the immediate neighbourhood, 

 when it either dives again, or rises on the wing to drop some- 

 where else on the stream, or settle on a stone. The assertion 

 of its walking below the water, which some persons have 

 ventured, is not made good by observation, nor countenanced 

 by reason. The Dipper is by no means a walking bird : even 

 on land I have never seen it move more than a few steps, 

 which it accomplished by a kind of leaping motion. Its 

 short legs and long curved claws are very ill adapted for run- 

 ning, but admirably calculated for securing a steady footing 

 on slippery stones, whether above or beneath the surface of 

 the water." 



The Dipper may be said to be local rather than rare, but 

 is seldom found in the counties around London. The nearest 



