INSESSORES. CINCLUS. 171 



but as the nature and extent of this work will not admit of 

 my tracing the various affinities and circular disposition of 

 each particular group, I refer my readers to the observations 

 upon the Merulida and other families of the Insessores, con- 

 tained in the second volume of the " Northern Zoology/ 1 



GENUS CINCLUS, BECHST. DIPPER. 



GENERIC CHARACTERS. 



Bill rather slender, straight, or with a very slight inclina- 

 tion upwards, compressed at the sides, and the tomia bending 

 inwards ; upper mandible emarginated at the tip, and bend- 

 ing over the lower one. Nostrils basal, lateral, and naked ; 

 longitudinally cleft, and partly covered by a membrane. 

 Head small, the forehead narrow and low ; Body short and 

 compact. Feet with three toes before and one behind ; the 

 outer toe joined at its base to the middle one. Tarsus longer 

 than the middle toe. Claws slightly curved, and compress- 

 ed ; that of the hind toe the largest. Wings short, the first 

 quill being not half the length of the second, which also is 

 shorter than the third and fourth. 



This interesting genus, which, in habits, presents so curious 

 an anomaly with the rest of the Insessores^ and which, in 

 former artificial systems, held, as it were, an isolated station, 

 has, by both VIGORS and SWAINSON, been classed with the 

 Myhlherina ,- with several of which it has been found, by a 

 careful analysis, to be connected in direct affinity. In addi- 

 tion to the common species (the European Dipper) and the 

 Ciiiclus Pallam, mentioned by TEMMINCK, another species 

 has been discovered (Cinclus Americanus of SWAINSON) in- 

 habiting Mexico, and the streams of the Rocky Mountains ; 

 and a fourth, perfectly distinct from Cine. Pallas., is also 

 mentioned by Mr SWATNSON, as seen by him from India. 



