THE DIPPER 51 



juniper. The male took no part in the work, but regaled his busy 

 partner by singing to her aU day long. At one period of the day she 

 brought in bundles of leaves four, five, and even six times in the 

 space of ten minutes. At other times, when greater care was needed 

 in the selection of materials, she was sometimes absent for eight or 

 ten minutes, but such was her industry that at seven o'clock the 

 whole of the external workmanship was finished, the materials 

 being dry leaves, felted together with moss. On the following day 

 both birds joined in the work, beginning as early as half -past three 

 o'clock in the morning, the materials being now moss and a few 

 feathers. So the work proceeded, day after day, untU the eighth of 

 June, when the structure was completed, being a compact baU of 

 dried leaves felted with moss and thickly lined with finer moss and 

 feathers, domed over and having a small circular opening on one 

 side. Dried leaves form the exterior of most Wrens' nests, unless 

 they are placed in situations where such an appearance would attract 

 the attention of a passer-by. On a mossy banlc, the outside would 

 probably consist of moss ; under the root of a tree, of twigs ; in a 

 hay-stack, of hay, and so on, the bird being guided by its instinct 

 to select the least conspicuous material. The numjDer of eggs laid 

 Js usuaUy_six, but as many as fifteen or sixteen have been observed. 

 Any one residing in the country, who has given his attention to 

 birds' nests, must have remarked what a large proportion of the 

 Wrens' nests which he has discovered are in an unfinished state and 

 contain no eggs. These are called 'cock' nests. In winter wrens 

 resort in numbers to old nests and to holes in walls for mutual 

 warmth and shelter. 



FAMILY CINCLID.E 

 THE DIPPER 



CINCLUS AQUATICUS 



Upper plumage dark brown, tinged with ash ; throat and breast pure white ; 

 abdomen brownish red ; bill blackish ; feet horn-colour. Female — 

 colours nearly the same, but of a dingy hue. Length seven inches. Eggs 

 pure white. 



Any one who has wandered by the mountain rivers of Scotland, 

 North Wales, or Derbyshire, can have scarcely failed to notice a 

 bird, somewhat less than a Blackbird, black above, with white 

 throat and breast, dart with rapid and direct flight from a low 

 rock on the river's bank, and alight on a wet mossy stone rising 

 but a few inches above the water, where the stream runs swiftest 

 and the spray sparkles brightest. But for the roar of the torrent 



