THE 



W^TEE OUZEL. 331 



Charlie Be clever, George, I want it immediately ;' and many 

 other sentences to the same purport." 



135. THE WATEE OUZEL. 

 Sturnus Cinclus, LIN. Merle d'Eau, BUF. Der Wasserschwatzer, BECH. 



Description. The Water Ouzel is about the size of the Star- 

 ling ; but the head is more pointed, the body not so slight, and 

 the wings and tail shorter. It is seven inches in length, of which 

 the tail measures one inch and three quarters. The folded wings 

 do not cover more than half an inch of the tail. The beak 

 is eight lines in length, narrow, compressed at the sides, sharp 

 pointed and black. The nostrils are small, and surrounded 

 by a kind of skin. The iris is light brown ; the feet an inch 

 in height, and blackish brown ; the head and nape of the neck 

 are a dingy reddish brown ; the rest of the upper part of the 

 body black, mottled with grey; the pen and tail feathers 

 blackish ; the throat half way down the breast pure white : 

 the remainder of the breast dark brown. The female is lighter 

 on the head and neck, and not so white on the breast. 



Habitat. The "Water Ouzel frequents the banks of mountain 

 streams, near which, as least liable to be entirely frozen over in 

 winter, it remains throughout the year. In confinement it 

 may either be allowed to run about the room, or be kept in a 

 large Thrush cage. 



Food. When wild, it principally subsists on aquatic insects, 

 though it eats also worms and small fish, for which it dives. 

 In confinement it may be inured to one of the universal pastes 

 by the judicious use of meal worms, flies, and ants' eggs. 



Breeding. The nest of the Water Ouzel, which is constructed 

 of grass stalks, root fibres, and moss, is generally placed among 

 stones by the side of a stream, in the timbers of a weir, or 

 between the spokes of a disused water-wheel. The female 

 lays five or six white eggs, and the young ones, which need 

 not be taken from the nest till nearly fledged, may easily be 

 reared on meal worms, ants' eggs, and bread soaked in milk. 



Mode of Talcing. Every pair of these birds have a fixed 

 station on some weir, stone, or bush, which overlooks a stream, 

 and may be taken without difficulty by means of limed twigs 

 judiciously placed, and baited with live meal worms. 



Attractive Qualities. The sonorous song of this bird is not 



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