By Upland Streams. 23 



being of the same globular form, but a cursory ex- 

 amination will soon set any doubt at rest. In a great 

 many — we might almost say the majority of — cases 

 the nest is made outwardly of moss (sphagnum al- 

 ways by preference), amongst which a little dry grass 

 is interwoven, especially round the entrance hole. 

 This mossy globe is lined with grass roots and some- 

 times fine tvvi"s, and then aQain lined with an enor- 

 mous quantity of dead leaves all arranged very neatly 

 layer over layer. There is never any lining of wool 

 or feathers, and the five or six white eggs are almost 

 exactly the same size as those of the Song Thrush. 

 The Dipper is an early breeder even in the northern 

 shires, commencing to build at the end of March or 

 early in x-^pril, and rearing several broods during the 

 course of the season. The young birds are most 

 interesting little creatures. We retain many vivid 

 remembrances of the actions of broods of Dippers 

 that we have unexpectedly disturbed. The tiny 

 creatures, when only able to fly or flutter for a few 

 yards at most, will take to the water to escape pur- 

 suit just as readily as the chicks of a Grebe or a 

 Moorhen, and are equally as alert and active in that 

 element. We have upon more than one occasion 

 known the four or five youngsters flutter out of the 

 nest one after the other, and at once tumble into 

 the stream below, where all eftbrts at capture have 

 usually been unavailing. Not only do the nestlings 



