264 LAND BIRDS 



701. WATER OUZEL, OR AMERICAN DIPPER. 



Cinclus mexicanus unicolor. 



Family : The Wrens, Thrashers, etc, 



Length; 7.00-8.50. 



Adults in Surti,mer : Entire plumage uniform slate-gray, more brownish 



on head and neck ; bill black. 

 Adults in Winter : Similar, with feathers of wings and under parts tipped 



with white. 

 Voung : Plumage similar to that of adults in winter, but under parts 



more or less mixed with white and tinged with rusty. 

 Geographical Distribution : Mountainous districts of Western North 



America, north to Alaska. 

 California Breeding Mange ; Along mountain streams throughout the 



. State. 

 Breeding Season : May to June 15. 

 Nest : A very bulky, oven-shaped structure ; composed of green mosses ; 



the entrance on one side ; lined with fine rootlets ; placed among 



rocks, close to running water or behind a waterfall. 

 3 to 5; white. Size 1.01 X 0.70. 



" Among all the countless waterfalls in the Sierra 

 Nevada, whether of the icy peaks or warm foot-hills, or in 

 the profound Yosemitic canons of the middle region, not 

 one was found without its Ouzel. No canon is too cold 

 for this little bird, none too lonely, provided it be rich in 

 falling water. 



" During the golden days of Indian summer, after 

 most of the snow has been melted, and the mountain 

 streams have become feeble, — then the song of the 

 Ouzel is at its lowest ebb. But as soon as the winter 

 clouds have bloomed and the mountain treasuries are 

 once more replenished with snow, the voices of the 

 streams and of the Ouzels increase in strength and 



