AMERICAN DIPPER. 495 
Kingfisher, being effected by regularly timed and quick beats of the 
wings, without intermissions or sailings. It perches on stones or pro- 
jecting crags by the sides of streams, or in the water, where it may be 
seen frequently inclining the breast downwards, and jerking up the 
tail, much in the manner of the Wheatear and Stonechat, and still 
more of the Wren; its legs bent, its neck retracted, and its wings 
slightly drooping. It plunges into the water, not dreading the force 
of the current, dives, and makes its way beneath the surface, generally 
moving against the stream, and often with surprising speed. It does 
not, however, immerse itself head foremost from on high like the King- 
fisher, the Tern, or the Gannet; but either walks out into the water, 
or alights upon its surface, and then plunges like an Auk or a Guille- 
mot, slightly opening its wings, and disappearing with an agility and 
dexterity that indicate its proficiency in diving. I have seen it moving 
under water in situations where I could observe it with certainty, and 
I readily perceived that its actions were precisely similar to those of 
the Divers, Mergansers, and Cormorants, which I have often watched 
from an eminence, as they pursued the shoals of sand-eels along the 
sandy shores of the Hebrides. It in fact flew, not merely using the 
wing, from the carpal joint, but extending it considerably and employ- 
ing its whole extent, just as if advancing in the air. The general di- 
rection of the body in these circumstances is obliquely downwards ; 
and great force is evidently used to counteract the effects of gravity, 
the bird finding it difficult to keep itself at the bottom, and when it re- 
laxes its efforts coming to the surface like a cork. Monvacu has well 
described the appearance which it presents under such circumstances :— 
“In one or two instances, where we have been able to perceive it 
under water, it appeared to tumble about in a very extraordinary man- 
ner, with its head downwards, as if picking something; and at the 
same time great exertion was used, both by the wings and legs.” This 
tumbling, however, is observed only when it is engaged in a strong 
current, and its appearance is greatly magnified by the unequal refrac- 
tion caused by the varying inequalities of the surface of the water. 
When searching for food, it does not proceed to great distances under 
water; but, alighting on some spot, sinks, and soon reappears in the 
immediate neighbourhood, when it either dives again, or rises on wing 
to drop somewhere else on the stream, or settle on a stone. Often 
from a shelving crag or large stone it may be seen making short incur- 
