1 6 Among the Birds in Northern Shires. 



the Sandpipers and called it Tringa merula aquatica; 

 but Linnaeus, with more discernment, associated it 

 with the Passeres in his genus Sturnus, which is now 

 restricted to the typical Starlings. Modern ornitho- 

 logists have fared little better, and the poor Dipper, 

 even in quite recent years, has been tossed about 

 from one group to another utterly regardless of its 

 true affinities. In some modern books we find it asso- 

 ciated with the Thrushes, in others with the Wrens, 

 but with neither group falling naturally. There may 

 be some of its special characteristics, as, for instance, 

 the coat of down that more or less covers the body 

 below the feathers, due to its peculiar habits and 

 economy; but, on the other hand, the very peculiar 

 character of its nest and eggs (which we regard as 

 of some importance in determining its taxonomic 

 position) seems to suggest that the small group of 

 birds of which the Common Dipper is typical, is 

 not very closely allied to any other existing group, 

 and fully to warrant the separation of these birds 

 from other Passeres into a family apart. Small as 

 this family is, the dozen species of which it is com- 

 posed are scattered oyer a very large proportion 

 of the earth's surface. Dippers in one form or 

 another are found over the greater part of Europe, 

 Asia, and North Africa; they occur on the upland 

 streams of the Himalayas, and in the mountains 

 of Formosa. Across the Atlantic they inhabit the 



(M618) 



