THE DIPPER. 41 



watchfulness up that stretch of water which he 

 and his mate have leased from nature for the 

 season. 



Every trout fisherman must notice how each 

 quarter of a mile of water contains its pair of 

 ousels. They are as jealous of their beat as 

 policemen and hold themselves aloof from all 

 relations, flying their two hundred yards up or 

 down stream from their favourite central stone 

 just opposite the rocky cascade which they have 

 settled upon as their nesting place. It would 

 be interesting to know and to trace precisely 

 what becomes of the new brood when once the 

 parents are persuaded that the time has arrived 

 for their progeny to be sent out into the 

 world. The beats above may be taken by their 

 uncles or by their cousins once removed, and 

 also the beat below. Do they seek another 

 stream or do they actually combat with their 

 own parents for the possession of that length 

 of water where they first tasted the sweets of 

 caddis worms shrimps or snails? I certainly 

 have seen dippers fight. A species of flying 

 warfare mixed with stridulous screams, and 

 possibly these are sharp actions at law after 

 which the title deeds change hands and the 

 water rights with them. 



A puzzle which field naturalists have never 

 explained is why should not the dipper be a 

 far commoner species than it is. Two and 

 sometimes three broods a year are hatched, 

 generally successfully, and the average number 

 of eggs laid is four or five. The bird has 



