PRELIMINARY CLASSIFIED NOTES 299 



in the form of pellets. As a result of repeated post-mortem examinations, 

 also of observations of the living bird, it has been shown that it rarely eats 

 fish-fry, and never the ova or spawn (Naumann, vol. ii. pp. 211, 213 (several 

 authorities given) ; Proceedings of the Zoological Society, 1865, 49-52 (Dr. E. Crisp) ; 

 Zoologisches Garten, 1880, 65-70 (K. Miiller) ; Newton's Dictionary of Birds ; 

 Yarrell, History of Birds, i.). It will feed on dead trout (Field, 1898, xcii. 608). 

 Its presence on trout or salmon streams is far more valuable than otherwise, as it 

 destroys insects injurious to spawn (Newton, op. cit.). The young are fed by both 

 parents, but on what food is not recorded ; it is probably the same as that of the 

 adults. [F. B. K.] 



6. Song Period. More or less at all seasons, but chiefly in winter and 

 spring. It begins " recording " after the autumn moult, as early as September. It 

 has been heard to sing at night (Ussher and Warren, B. of Ireland). [F. c. K. J.] 



THE IRISH DIPPER [Cinclus cinclus hibernicus, Hartert.] This 

 has been separated sub-specifically by Dr. Hartert, as it has " wider black 

 borders to the feathers of the upper side than C. c. cinclus, and C. c. 

 britannicus, so that the back appears almost uniform black in freshly 

 moulted examples, and the rufous pectoral area is more restricted than in 

 C. c. britannicus, but wider than in typical C. c. cinclus " (British Birds, iv. 

 136 ; E. Hartert, Vogel der Paldarktischen Fauna, i. 790). It is confined 

 to Ireland. [F. c. R. J.] 



The following sub-species is described in the supplementary chapter on "Rare 

 Birds" :- 



The Scandinavian or Blackbellied Dipper, C. cinclus cinclus (Linnaeus), 

 (C. melanogaster, Brehm). 



