240 THE DIPPER 



pisciculture. The Dipper remains with us all the year 

 round, especially in the Peak District in Derbyshire, 

 and the hill-streams of North Staffordshire. It is, 

 however, found in the British Islands, wherever there 

 are rapid rivers or stony brooks and streams. All the 

 Highland burns and rivers have a few pairs. In 

 Ireland, too, it is resident in the mountainous districts, 

 but it forsakes these often, at the approach of winter, for 

 the mouths of tidal rivers and the salt flats of the sea- 

 shore. In the valley of the Dove it remains about the 

 stream all through the winter. The birds are clever in 

 contriving to make so heavy a nest cling to the wall of 

 rock or stone, where it is placed. It cocks up its short 

 tail very much as a Wren does, and dips its head in a 

 way, which has gained for it the quaint local name of 

 " Betty Dowker." As it feeds much on the larvae of 

 the May-fly and bank-fly, and others which are 

 destructive to the salmon spawning beds, it must be of 

 good service to the fisher. The young birds are able to 

 swim as soon as they leave the nest, and to chase the 

 water insects, using both legs and wings in pursuit. 

 The wings serve as oars. The song of the bird is begun 

 in autumn, and it will often be heard all through the 

 winter, but always in early spring, and fully fledged 

 young have been found by the twenty-first of March. 



This is a thick-set but charming bird a little over six 

 inches in length. Head and nape are umber-brown, tail 

 and wing-feathers dark brown; chin, throat, and upper 

 breast white, passing off into chestnut-brown, dark-grey 

 and black on the belly ; bill brownish-black, legs and 

 feet brown ; upper parts mottled with dark grey and 

 brown. The beak is awl-shaped, and the sharp toes on 

 the strong feet are long and well divided. The nest is 



