474. Birds of Colorado 
yards or so; then descending, fluttering their wings as 
before, they light on a stone or sod, not far from where 
they started’ (Trippe). 
The nest is placed on the ground, usually under the 
shelter of a stone or bunch of grass; it is constructed 
entirely of dried grasses, outside coarser, inside finer, 
and the walls are thick and warm. The eggs, five or 
six in number, are dark brownish-purple, almost hidden 
by spots and splashes of purplish-black, and though 
varying somewhat, are very dark in colour. They 
average ‘78 X ‘57. 
Family CINCLIDZ. 
Bill shorter than the head, rather slender and com- 
pressed ; nostril partly concealed; no rictal bristles ; 
wing of ten primaries, the tenth (outer) very short ; 
wing short, rounded and concave ; tail of twelve short 
rounded feathers almost hidden by the coverts ; tarsus 
normal; claws curved. 
A small family distinguished chiefly by the adaptation 
of its members to aquatic life. 
Genus CINCLUS. 
Characters of the family ; one species only in the United States. 
American Dipper. Cinclus mexicanus unicolor. 
A.O.U. Checklist no 701—Colorado Records—Allen 72, pp. 148, 
161; Aiken 72, p. 194; Trippe 74, p. 229 ; Henshaw 75, p. 159 ; Scott 
79, p. 91 ; Minot 80, p. 224 ; Drew 81, p. 86 ; 85, p. 15 ; Stone 82, p. 181; 
Allen & Brewster 83, p. 154; Beckham 85, p. 140; Pearce 86, p. 8; 
Morrison 86, p. 27; 88, p. 71; W. G. Smith 88, p. 149; Bendire 89, 
p. 75; Kellogg 90, p. 89; Lowe 94, p. 269 ; Chamberlain 94, p. 163 ; 
Miller 94, p. 70; Taylor 96, p. 6; McGregor 96, p. 39 ; Cooke 97, pp. 
118, 169, 221; Keyser 02, pp. 163-174; Dille 03, p. 74; Henderson 
03, p. 237 ; 09, p. 240 ; Gilman 07, p. 194 ; Henderson 08, p. 1; Warren 
08, p. 24 ; Rockwell 08, p. 177. 
