AMERICAN DIPPER. 73 
When disturbed, the Dipper takes to the water immediately, and even the unfledged 
young instantly save themselves, when in danger, by jumping like frogs into the wet 
element. Even in winter it is at home in the usually very cold mountain streams, at a 
time when the majority of true water-birds avoid such localities on account of the low 
temperature of the water.—The food of our bird consists almost entirely of molluscs 
and insects, which it obtains almost exclusively from the water. 
The song of this bird of the mountain solitude is, according to Mr. Trippe, very 
beautiful. Although the observer usually hears its ordinary note, a rapid chatter, it hasa 
very beautiful song ‘‘which it utters, however, very rarely. It seleéts the wildest, darkest 
ravines, and is very timid while singing. Its song is clear, sweet and varied, more 
wren-like than any other bird’s song, yet peculiarly its own, and only to be heard amid 
the most romantic scenery, mingled with the music of the mountain torrents has a 
charm that is wanting to other and finer songsters.” 
The nidification is also a very interesting point of the bird’s habits. The nest is 
always built close to the water, often so close as to be always moistened on its outside 
by spray and foam. At any rate it is always kept so damp that the moss of which it 
is built continues to grow luxuriantly. ‘‘One of the most perfect and beautiful samples 
of bird-architecture I ever saw,” 
says Dr. Elliott Coues, “was a nest of this species. 
Dr. Hayden showed me after one of his late trips. It is an elegant ball of soft green 
moss, as large as a man’s head, roofed over, with a small round hole on one side.” 
Mr. J. Stevenson, of Dr. Hayden’s party, gives a very interesting and truthful ac- 
count of the nesting habits of our Water Ouzel. He writes as follows: ‘‘While the camp 
of the United States Geological Survey of the Territories, to which I was attached, was 
located near Berthoud’s Pass, in the Rocky Mountains, I found the nest and eggs 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 leisure 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 were 
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 daily manceuvres 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 6 in. 
high and about 30 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 the nest and the protection of the bird, its eggs, and 
young. One of the first things that attracted my attention was its manner of diving 
down into the water and then darting back and perching itself on the summit of its 
mound-like dwelling, where it would shake the water from its feathers and distribute 
it over the nest, apparently for the purpose of keeping the moss moist and in a growing 
condition, thereby increasing its strength and dimensions. The entrance of its little 
house was also carefully arranged; the archway was quite perfect, and the moss around 
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