12 CINCLID^, DIPPEES. 



Dr. Newberry gives the following note : "This singular little bird I found 

 only in the rapid and shallow streams in the Cascade Mountains. It was 

 always flitting along in the bed of the stream, from time to time plung- 

 ing into the water and disappearing, but soon re-appearing across or up 

 or down the stream, skipping from stone to stone, jerking its tail and 

 turning its body, with much the manners of the wrens, occasionally ut- 

 tering a short and sharp chiip." Mr. W. H. Ball's notice is one of the 

 most northern records. He says, like Dr. Suckley, that the bird "is es- 

 sentially solitary. Several specimens were obtained iu January, Febru- 

 ary, and March, always near some open, unfrozen spot, on some small 

 stream, such as the Nulato River. * * * The Indians told me, and 

 my own observation continued it, that this bird, when disturbed, will 

 dive into the water even in mid-winter; and as it is never found but 

 near open water, I suspect it obtains its food from thence. I noticed 

 that the bill and legs of some of the specimens were light ochre-yellow, 

 and others dark slate-color." The former were probably young birds. 



"The American Ouzel (Clnchis mexicanus) is doubtless a frequent in- 

 habitant of nearly all the mountain-streams of Colorado. We met with 

 it near Colorado City, on the Pontaine-qui-bout, even fairly out on the 

 plains, and iu the mountains up to the remotest sources of the South 

 Platte, within a few hundred feet of the timber-line. Eemarkable alike 

 for the melody of its song and its singular habits, it is one of the most 

 interesting members of the avian fauna of our continent. It prefers 

 the swiitest mountain-torrents, above the roar of which its melodious 

 notes can at times be scarcely heard. At such localities, as is well known, 

 it seeks its food at the bottom of the stream, easily withstanding the 

 swiftest current. Along Ogden River, Utah, a powerful mountain tor- 

 rent, we found it more common in September and October than we had 

 seen it at any other point ; here, in the course of an hour, we easily ob- 

 tained a dozen specimens." — [Allen, in epist.) 



The Dipper's egg is pure white in color, and of rather elongate, 

 pointed shape. Two specimens in Dr. Hayden's collection, taken by 

 Mr. Stevenson near Berthoud's Pass, measure 1.05 by 0.70, and 1.04 

 by 0.09, respectively. They formed part of a set of three. 



We have been favored with the following interesting communication 

 from Mr. J. Stevenson, of Dr. Hayden's party : 



" While the camp of the United States Geological Survey of the Ter- 

 ritories, to which I was attached, was located near Berthoud's Pass, in 

 the Rocky Mountains, I collected the nest, eggs, and mother bird of the 

 Water Ouzel, which had constructed its little house near the margin of 

 a small stream, but a little distance from our camp. Having some leis- 

 ure time, I interested myself in watching and noting some of the actions 

 of this little bird. It was not very timid, having built its nest not far 

 from a saw-mill in which several persons vv-ere employed, and who were 

 daily witnesses of the movements of the bird ; indeed, one of these men 

 seemed deeply grieved when he learned that I had killed the bird and 

 taken its nest, for it had been his custom to approach the spot daily, 

 and watch with interest the curious manoeuvres of this little animal. 

 After my attention was called to it I took pains to spend an hour or so 

 each day for several days, watching its actions. The nest was built on 

 a slab, about four feet from the water's edge, and was composed of green 

 moss, the inside being lined with fine dry grass; it was oval-shaped, 

 being about six inches high and about thirty in circumference at the 

 base. The outside or walls of the nest were composed of green moss, 

 most ingeniously interwoven, so that its growth in this manner might 

 add to the strength of tbftJiesi-awl ttie^BfOi^on of the bird, its eggs. 



