WATER-SHREW— BATS— WATER OUSEL — BLUE-THROAT 287 



whiskered Bat, There are three species of bats in central Europe which 

 etc - habitually frequent the neighbourhood of water. Of these, the 



whiskered bat (Myotis mystacinus) may often be noticed on the wing close to 

 the surface of stagnant ponds and slowly flowing streams and brooks where 

 insects are abundant. It is generally seen alone, but occasionally lives in small 

 companies and sleeps in hollow trees, in buildings, or in caves. Coming out early 

 in the evening soon after sundown, it flies till dawn. Daubenton's bat (31. 

 daubentoni) has a still greater partiality for water, and flies so low that it 

 would dip its wings in it, were it not for its curiously tremulous flight. It is 

 brown above and dirty white beneath. The rough-legged bat (M. dasycneme) is 

 larger, and the hair of the upper-parts is dark at the base and light brown at the 

 tips, while that of the under-parts is black at the base and white at the tips. It 

 is found all over central and southern Europe, and the greater part of northern 

 Asia, but only in the plains. It is particularly fond of large sheets of water, 

 and when in search of food almost always flies low down over the surface, making 

 its appearance in the evening towards twilight and sleeping longer during the 

 winter, and appearing later in the spring than the two species just noticed. 



A true bird of the waters is the water ousel or dipper 



(Cinclus aquaticus), which is nowhere very common, and rather 



local in its distribution. This bird can swim on the water, and under water for 



a considerable distance, even against the current, seeking for its food, which 



consists of small crustaceans, insects, and other forms of aquatic life. It sleeps 



at night beneath banks which have been undermined by the action of the stream, 



creeping into holes and among the roots, whence, when disturbed or alarmed, it 



will rush into the water, swimming away under the surface for a time, and then 



emerging to fly farther in the air. The nest, of much the same character as that 



of a wren, is placed in cavities close to water, especially in places where the stream 



runs noisily, the bird being often obliged to fly through small cascades to get to 



its eggs. In the neighbourhood of warm springs, eggs have been found so early as 



February, but, as a rule, they are laid at the end of April or beginning of May, 



and are from four to six in number and dull white in colour. The water ousel 



seems never tired, and is active even in the severest weather. It is generally 



seen alone on the bank, or on a rock in the middle of some fast-flowing stream. 



In the air its flight is not unlike that of a kingfisher, and under water it swims 



with legs and wings. It has a pleasant song with many variations, containing 



low, twittering, chirping notes, alternating with loud, whistling passages, that 



harmonise wonderfully with the surroundings. 



Far more numerous than the mammals living on the banks of 

 Blue-Throat. . „ 



fresh waters are the birds. Amongst them one of the most attractive 



and interesting is the lovely blue-throat, or blue-throated warbler (Cyanecula 



wolfi), which forms a link with the woodland birds in the similarity of its abodes, 



its usual haunts being copses covering the sides of streams with a growth of 



willows, alders, rushes, reeds, and low marsh-plants, especially in flat country where 



the river-banks are low. This bird is 5i inches long, and the full-grown male has 



the throat and the upper part of the breast of a beautiful azure-blue, edged with 



