X 



THE DIPPER. 



Ciitelus aquaticus. 



fOST lovers of nature who have 

 quietly followed for any dis- 

 tance the course of one of our 

 mountain streams must have 

 heard the lively "chit, chit" 

 of the Dipper, and seen them 

 hopping from stone to stone, 

 often in the centre of the 

 stream, showing their white 

 breasts and jerking their short 

 spread tails, to fly off when dis- 

 turbed, straight and rapidly, 

 close to the water's edge. For 

 this shy and retiring bird is 

 pretty generally found in our , 

 country, in those districts 

 in which rapid streams and 

 rivers form a part of the geo- 

 graphical characteristics. In 

 warm weather the bird prefers 

 the higher portions of water- 

 courses, but when the cold is 

 very severe, it follows the 

 courses of rivers and brooks 



