40 Order I 



G. c. britannicus is considered distinct. The Water- 

 Ousel, or Water-Crow, to use local names, is one of 

 the most interesting of British birds from its striking 

 appearance, its unusual habits, and its pecuHar nest ; 

 it is a nice fat brown bird with a white chest and chest- 

 nut belly, which may be seen flitting from boulder to 

 boulder on our rapidly running hill-streams, bobbing 

 about on its stony perch and constantly diving into the 



Dipper 



water, where it uses its legs and wings below the surface. 

 Naturally it is not suited by our southern and eastern 

 counties, but it is found from Cornwall and Wales 

 northward to the Orkneys, and also in Ireland, while 

 its cheery song may be heard even in the severest 

 weather in its upland haunts, which it seldom cares to 

 leave. Its food consists of small moUusks, spiders, 

 beetles, and insect-larvse, and to some extent of fish- 

 spawn, but its utihty far outweighs its harmfulness. 



