Dirrer. PASSERES. CINCLUS. 163 
some projecting stone in the middle of the water. From 
such situations I have repeatedly seen them dive below the 
surface, and remain submerged for a considerable time, occu- 
pied in pursuing the fry (or young fish), or in search of the 
larvee of aquatic msects. At other times they walk slowly 
ito the water from the shallow part of a pool, till it becomes 
of sufficient depth for diving ; but I have not been able, even 
from close observation, to certify the fact repeated by some 
naturalists, of their walking with apparent ease at the bot- 
tom ; and which error of opinion might arise from the man- 
ner of their occasionally entering the water as above stated. 
On the contrary, the same exertion seems to be used by 
them as by other diving birds, an idea entertained also by 
Monracu, to whose pleasing description of the habits of this 
species I refer my readers *. I have had an opportunity of 
bestowing attention on the manners of these birds, a pair 
having, for some years, built in a mass of rock rising from a 
rivulet at a very short distance from my residence, They 
are very early breeders, and their first family is, in general, 
fully fledged in the beginning of May. The young quit 
the nest before they are able to fly to any considerable dis- 
tance: indeed upon being disturbed, although but half 
fledged, they immediately leave it, diving with great ease the 
moment they reach the water, which the parent birds con- 
trive shall be effected with expedition, as they most common- 
ly build their large mossy nest in such part of the rock as 
directly overhangs the stream. 
The situation of their nest is readily discovered, when oc- Nest, xc. 
cupied by the young birds, from their mcessant chirping. 
It is similar in shape to that of the wren, composed external- 
ly of moss, and lined with the decayed leaves of oak and 
other trees. The eggs are four or five in number, of a trans- 
parent white. When perched, this bird uses a constant dip- 
ping motion, at the same time flirting its tail, which is car- 
ried rather erect, in the same manner as that of the wren. 
* See Monr. Ornith. Dict. Supplement, and Appendix to Supplement. 
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