74 THE BRITISH NATURE BOOK 



Crossbill. A special form or variety of this species is found only in the North 

 of Scotland, where it breeds. The more familiar and bright-coloured form is 

 chiefly a winter visitor, though some stay to breed. The bird is recognized by 

 its " crossbill " the tips of the beak actually crossing. The cock has a gaudy 

 crimson plumage, with brown wings and tail. The hen is a yellowish green. 

 The nest is high up in larches, firs, and other conifers ; a foundation of larch 

 or fir twigs, with a superstructure of dry grass, wool, moss, etc., lined with 

 grasses or hair, contains three or four eggs, like a large Greenfinch's, but with 

 darker and fewer markings, greenish white, with a few dark purple spots or 

 streaks. The birds begin laying very early January to March. The call is 

 " Yip-yip," or " Gip-gip." 



Dipper, or WATER OUZEL. This bird, like a large Wren with a white bib, 

 gets its first name not from its habit of diving into water for food, but from its 

 constant " curtseying," with downward jerks of the tail, on land. It is found by 

 swift, rocky streams in the North and West of England, in Scotland and Wales, 

 and is resident all the year round except in winter, when it makes local movements 

 to open water. After having once been seen, there is no difficulty in identifying 

 other specimens. Its erect attitude, with the short, stumpy tail almost at right 

 angles to the back, its dark colour above, with the white breast plainly showing, 

 distinguish it at once. The bird feeds on water insects, snails, and crustaceans, 

 which it enters the stream to get, possessing the power of walking underneath 

 the water. But it can also swim, and looks not unlike a miniature Dabchick, 

 bobbing about at ease on the quickest running stream. The nest is usually 

 near the water, in the bank or under a bridge, or on a stump or thick branch, 

 and is a large domed structure of felted moss, with a hole at the side, containing 

 an inner nest of dried grasses lined with leaves. The eggs (four to six) are pure 

 white, and may be found as early as February, though generally in March to 

 April. The Dipper has a charming song, mild and sweet, and may be heard 

 specially in the winter, sometimes at night. 



Dunlin. This is a small member of the Sandpiper family, a common winter 

 visitor on our coasts, but breeding only in Scotland (very occasionally else- 

 where). It inhabits moors and marshes and low-lying land on the sea edge. 

 The nest is a mere hollow of the ground, concealed by grass, heather, or similar 

 herbage. It is lined sparsely with roots or grasses. The four eggs, pear-shaped, 

 are greenish white blotched and spotted with reddish or dark brown, and are 

 found in May. The summer plumage is as follows : Crown and nape chestnut 

 streaked with black, mantle black with chestnut edges, remainder of upper 

 parts grey, upper portion of breast grey-white, lower breast black, belly 

 white, legs black. The winter plumage is chiefly grey above, white below, 

 banded with grey on the lower breast. The spring call is a loud trill, " Whiz- 

 whiz-whiz-whiz-whiz," not unpleasing compared with its usual purring winter 

 note. The call-note is a clear whistle, " Trui," or " Pe-pe-pe." 



Though classed according to size in this first list, it should be remembered 

 that this bird (7^ inches long) is utterly unlike the sparrow in every other 



