226 cassell's book of birds. 



here it was, while viewing the Fall of Bonnington, that, happening to cast my eye down below a 

 little beyond the foot of the cascade, where the river is broken with stones and fragments of rock, 

 I espied, standing near each other on a large stone, no less than five Water Ouzels. Thus favourably 

 stationed as I was for a view — myself unseen — I had a fair opportunity for overlooking their 

 manoeuvres. I observed accordingly that they flirted up their tails and flew from one stone to 

 another, till at length they mustered again upon the identical one on which I had first espied them. 

 They next entered into the water and disappeared, but they did not all do this at the same time, 

 neither did they do it in the same manner. Three of them plunged over head instantaneously, 

 but the remaining two walked gradually into the stream, and having displayed their wings, spread 

 them on the surface, and by this means appeared entirely to support themselves. In this position 

 they continued for some time- — at one moment quickly spinning themselves, as it were, two or three 

 times round, at another remaining perfectly motionless on the surface ; at length they almost 

 insensibly sank. What became of them it is not in my power to state, the water not being sufficiently 

 transparent for me to discover the bottom of the river, particularly as I was elevated so much above 

 it. Neither can I say that I perceived any one of them emerge again, although I kept glancing my 

 eye in every direction, in order, if possible, to catch them in the act of re-appearing. The plumage 

 of the bird, indeed, being so much in harmony with the surrounding masses of stone, rendered it not 

 very easily distinguishable. I did, however, afterwards observe two of these birds on the opposite 

 side of the stream, and possibly the three others might also have emerged and escaped my notice." 



Mr. Mudie, in his " Feathered Tribes," observes — " A question has been raised how the 

 Dipper can contrive to keep beneath a fluid so much more dense than itself. An Owl to an Owl's 

 bulk of air is as a stone to a pound, as compared with the Dipper's bulk of water to the Dipper ; 

 but if birds rise and ascend in the air at pleasure by the motions of their wings, it is only reversing 

 those motions to enable them to descend or keep themselves down in water. The difference of 

 specific gravity between the bird and the water is indeed so trifling that very little effort suffices to 

 move it in any direction, upwards, downwards, or laterally. Birds do not fly upon the principle of 

 specific gravity, as, with equal wings, the heavy birds fly best ; they fly because they strike the air 

 more forcibly in the opposite direction to that in which they wish to go, and, under water, the 

 Dipper just does the same. If it wishes to go down, it strikes upwards with the wings and tail ; if 

 to come up, it does just the reverse. The only difference is that the wings are held ' recovered,' 

 as running birds use them, and that gravitation has even less to do in the matter than in flying. Any 

 one who has ever seen a Dipper under water, or has the slightest knowledge of the mere elements 

 of mechanics, can understand the whole matter in an instant. The Dipper is indeed often adduced 

 as an instance of the beautiful simplicity of animal mechanics." 



The flight of the Water Ouzel is effected by a series of rapidly repeated strokes, yet, even when 

 winging its way through the air, the bird skims along near the surface of the stream, darting down 

 from time to time to seize a passing insect. Only when hotly pursued does it quit the vicinity 

 of its favourite lake or river, and seek safety by flying to any considerable distance, and it always 

 returns to its usual haunts as soon as the cause of its alarm has disappeared. While perched upon 

 an elevated point on the bank, engaged in watching for prey, it is not uncommon to see it dart 

 suddenly down and seize its victim with an action more resembling the leap of a frog than the 

 movement of a member of the feathered creation. As regards intelligence and the perfection of 

 its senses, this remarkable bird is decidedly highly endowed ; its sight and hearing, in particular, 

 are extremely acute. In disposition it is cunning, cautious, and so observant that it at once 

 perceives any unusual object or detects approaching danger. 



^o the presence of man the Dipper usually exhibits the utmost repugnance, whether he come in 



