172 INSESSORES. CINCLUS. Dipper. 



EUROPEAN DIPPER. 



CiNCLUs AQUATicvs, Bechst. 

 PLATE XLV. 



Cinclus aquaticus, Bechst. Naturg. Deut. v. 3. p. 808 Meyer, Tasschenb. 



Deut. V. 1. p. 207. 

 Sturnus Cinclus, Gmel. Syst. 1. p. 803. sp. 5 — Linn. Syst. 1. p. 290. 5. 

 Turdus Cinclus, Lath. Ind. Ornith. v. 1. p. 343. sp. 57. 

 Merula aquatica, Briss. v. 5. p. 252. 19 — Raii Syn. p. 66. A. 7.— Will. 



p. 104. t. 24. 



Le Merle d'Eau, Buff. Ois. v. 8. p. 134. t. 11 Id. PI. Enl. 940. 



Cincle Plongeur, Temm. Man. d'Oniith. v. 1. p. 177- 



Wasser Spreauw, Sepp. Nederl. Vog. v. 1. t. p. 25. 



Water Ouzel, Br. Zool, 2. No. 111.— Arct. Zool. 2. p. 332. 8.— Will. (Ang.) 



p. 149 Leivin's Br. Birds, 2. t, 63 Lath. Syn. 3. p. 48. 50 Id. 



Supp. p. 142 — Mont. Ornith. Diet. — Id. Supp. and App. to Supp. — Wale. 



Syn. 2. t. 196 — Don, Br. Birds, t. 24 Bewick's Br. Birds, v. 2. p. 16. 



Provincial — Water-Crow, Water-Piet, Bessy-Ducker. 



These interesting little birds are natives of our island, 

 but, from their peculiar habits, are confined to certain districts ; 

 those only where they can meet with clear and rocky stream- 

 lets. It is therefore in the mountainous tracts of Scotland 

 and Wales, in some of the northern counties of England, 

 in parts of Devonshire, and probably in Derbyshire, that we 

 must look for these wild and solitary songsters. They are 

 generally seen single, or in pairs, and always on the margin 

 of the stream, or perched in their particular attitude, on 

 some projecting stone in the middle of the water. From 

 such situations I have repeatedly seen them dive below the 

 surface, and remain submerged for a considerable time, occu- 

 pied in pursuing the fry (or young fish), or in search of the 

 larvae of aquatic insects. At other times they walk slowly 

 into the water from the shallow part of a pool, till it becomes 

 of sufficient depth for diving ; but I have not been able, even 

 from close observation, to certify the fact repeated by some 

 naturalists, of their walking with apparent ease at the bot- 

 tom ; and which error of opinion might arise from the man- 

 5m*I ^ • "^V y /'^ W*- iL >-. 



