AMONG THE BIRDS OF THE YOSEMITE 239 



He is usually seen fluttering about in the spray 

 of falls and the rapid cascading portions of the 

 main branches of the rivers. These are his fa- 

 vorite haunts ; but he is often seen also on com- 

 paratively level reaches and occasionally on the 

 shores of mountain lakes, especially at the be- 

 ginning of winter, when heavy snowfalls have 

 blurred the streams with sludge. Though not a 

 water-bird in structure, he gets his living in the 

 water, and is never seen away from the immedi- 

 ate margin of streams. He dives fearlessly into 

 rough, boiling eddies and rapids to feed at the 

 bottom, flying under water seemingly as easily 

 as in the air. Sometimes he wades in shallow 

 places, thrusting his head under from time to 

 time in a nodding, frisky way that is sure to 

 attract attention. His flight is a solid whir of 

 wing-beats like that of a partridge, and in going 

 from place to place along his favorite string of 

 rapids he follows the windings of the stream, 

 and usually alights on some rock or snag on the 

 bank or out in the current, or rarely on the dry 

 limb of an overhanging tree, perching like a tree 

 bird when it suits his convenience. He has the 

 oddest, neatest manners imaginable, and all his 

 gestures as he flits about in the wild, dashing 

 waters bespeak the utmost cheerfulness and con- 

 fidence. He sings both winter and summer, in 

 all sorts of weather, — a sweet, fluty melody, 

 rather low, and much less keen and accentuated 



