THE WATER OUZEL. 193 



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. I wish that 

 old Nicolas Pesce 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 

 Judceus) 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 together in the midst of the waves, 

 and live on the fish which he caught. The roar- 

 ing 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 amusement, 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-fowl 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 sup- 



