The American Dipper 
and I have, on several occasions, surprised flying birds who plumped 
instantly into the water, rather than attempt to change the direction 
of their flight. 
The Water Ouzel feeds largely upon the larvae of the caddis, or 
“May” fly, known locally as periwinkles. These are found clinging to 
the under surface of stones lining the stream, and their discovery requires 
quite a little prying and poking on the bird’s part. Great numbers 
of the adults of this and other forms of Ephemeridoe fall upon the surface 
of the water, and are snapped up before the greedy trout can get them. 
The Ouzels are also said to be destructive to fish fry, insomuch 
that the director of a hatchery in British Columbia felt impelled to order 
the destruction of all the Ouzels, to the number of several hundred, 
which wintered along a certain protected stream. This was a very 
regrettable necessity, if necessity it was, and one which might easily 
lead to misunderstanding between bird-men and fish-men. We are 
fond of trout ourselves, but we confess to being a great deal fonder of 
this adventuresome water-sprite. 
Taken in Fresno County 
A FULL MARKET BASKET 
Photo by the Author 
734 
