ey ae 
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THE WATER OUZEL. 193 
the dipper, when in Northumberland ; but I own 
that I never had courage to follow it to the realms 
below, in order to have a clear and distinct view of 
its proceedings. JF wish that old Nicolas Pescé were 
alive in these days. I would engage him to put this 
very important ornithological question at rest for 
ever. Old Nicolas was quite at home under water. 
His toes and fingers (credat Judeus) were said to 
be webbed; and he could take in at one gulp as 
much breath as would serve him for a whole day. 
They tell us, he would often spend five days toge- 
ther in the midst of the waves, and live on the fish 
which he caught. The roaring gulfs among the 
Lipari Islands were a kind of Hyde Park promenade 
to him. Nick would resort to them whenever he 
felt inclined to take an airing, either for his amuse- 
ment, or for the benefit of his health. 
ON THE HABITS OF THE WATER OUZEL, 
WITH A FEW REMARKS ON THE OIL 
GLANDS IN BIRDS. 
THE water ouzel is sometimes known by the name 
of the dipper in England, and by that of merle d’eau 
in France, and is pronounced to be a water-fowh 
by Buffon. Indeed, as the count affected to believe 
the strange story of Monsieur Herbert, he might 
have called it the water bird par excellence ; it being 
) 
