AMERICAN DIPPER. 497 
of a streamlet that flowed along the bottom of a narrow scar or rut. 
Imagining that its nest or young might be concealed there, we went 
up to the place, and, on perceiving the bird behind the little waterfall, 
endeavoured to catch it, on which it sallied forth, plunged into a pool, 
and attempted to escape down the stream, but without success, for we 
met it at every turn, and it was obliged to betake itself again to its re- 
treat. We now turned off the water from the stone, when it again 
plunged into the pool, and after some windings, at length effected its 
escape. On emerging at some distance it flew off, and I considered it 
strange that it had not used its wings at first, as it certainly could more 
easily have escaped through the air than through the water. The 
chase afforded another rare opportunity of viewing its subaqueous flight, 
which in all probability was caused by excessive alarm. It flew about 
in the pool, just as a bird would fly in a confined space in the air, but 
of course with less velocity, and on diving at first seemed covered with 
small air-bubbles which adhered to its surface. 
On being wounded the Dipper commonly plunges into the water, 
flies beneath its surface to the shore, and conceals itself among the 
stones or under the bank. In fact, on all such oceasions, if enough of 
life remains, it is sure to hide itself, so that one requires to look sharply 
after it. In this respect it greatly resembles the Common Gallinule. 
In the winter of 1829, I shot one on the Almond, which flew to the 
other side, walked deliberately out into the water, disappeared, and 
slowly emerged under a bank at some distance, where I found it after 
wading through the stream, which was partially frozen. Another had 
just strength sufficient to fly into a deep hole under a bridge on the 
Yarrow, partially filled with water, on which it was found floating dead. 
In August 1834, I shot a Dipper on Manor Water in Tweeddale, which 
flew off, dived, and hid itself under a bank, on which I forded the stream 
and endeavoured to secure it, but it slipped out under water, swam 
down the current twenty yards or so, and got under a large stone, 
where it was traced. The introduction of the gun-rod only caused the 
persecuted bird to retreat as far as it could, and when I was employed 
in removing some pebbles and gravel from behind the stone, it slipped 
out under water, and proceeded down the stream a considerable way 
before it rose to breathe. I noticed the place where it dived in under 
the bank, and it being at length obliged to come up to respire, I met 
the bird with my hand and so secured it. 
VOL. Iv. 11 
