50 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



Situation and Locality. — I have found this 

 bird's nest in niches of rock, on shaping ledges, 

 on a hoiikler in the middle of a monntaiu stream, 

 behind a waterfall, in the root of a tree, in the 

 arch of a bridge where a stone had slipped out, 

 fixed to a sod which was constantly dripping 

 with splashes from a waterfall close by, and on 

 one occasion in a tree some twelve feet over a 

 stream. It is never far from a mountain torrent. 

 It is met with in the West and North of England, 

 Wales, and pretty generally over Scotland and 

 Ireland. Our illustration is from a photograph 

 procured on the upper Eden, and was taken with 

 the camera standing in a rushing torrent. 



Materials. — The exterior is made of aquatic 

 mosses, generally harmonising closely with sur- 

 rounding objects, and the inside is beautifully 

 lined with dead leaves laid layer upon layer. The 

 appearance of the nest varies considerably accord- 

 ing to situation. Our illustration represents rather 

 a squat one. 



Eggs. — Four to six, generally five, of a delicate 

 semi-transparent white, unspotted. Size about 1-0 

 by -75 in. 



Time. — March, April, May, June, and occasion- 

 ally as late as July. I used to notice when a boy 

 that on some seasons the Thrush, and on others 

 the Dipper, would commence to nest first in the 

 North of England. 



HeviarT^s. — Resident. Call notes : chit, chit. Song 

 low and sweet, but very pleasant, and uttered right 

 through the hard frosts of winter during gleams of 

 sunshine. Local and other names : Water Ouzel, 

 Bessy Dooker, Brook Ouzel, Water Crow, Water 

 Piet, Water Crake. Sits closely, and when suddenly 

 disturbed will often dive into a near-by pool. 



