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. 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 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-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 



