Birds. 2479 



severe weather brings to us the dipper is the most engaging in his 

 habits and manners. Parties come here occasionally through the 

 winter, and depart as spring approaches. I imagine that the bulk of 

 them breed on the brinks of our more northern streams, — such as the 

 Dove, the Wye, and their smaller rocky tributaries, — and then come 

 down to the Trent after the breeding-season is over, keeping moving 

 along those streams which fall into the Trent (and so adjourn until 

 fine weather appears next spring), in our less rigid locality. I always 

 notice them in the greatest numbers when the most severe weather 

 occurs. In the winter of 1841 they appeared upon the Trent in con- 

 siderable numbers, the river being partly frozen over, and snow lying 

 on the ground fourteen inches deep. In 1844 I observed ten birds, 

 but throughout the mild winter of 1846 no dipper was seen. Some- 

 times when the Trent is partly frozen over they may be seen on the 

 ice, but their motions are clumsy and inelegant; and when perceived 

 they hurry, as well as they can, towards the liquid parts, and bury 

 themselves from sight. When they are swimming on the surface, and 

 find themselves discovered, they usually dive and come up once to 

 the top ; but if the person continues in sight they again disappear, 

 and are not seen that time for a very long period. The migration of 

 the dipper is certainly regulated very much by the seasons. If winter 

 sets in about October, they reach us during that month, and stay a 

 few weeks ; and if it increases in severity they proceed lower down 

 until the frost disappears, and then come again : but if no frost ap- 

 pears until about January, they come at that time, and remain until 

 spring. The greater part depart about March, but an occasional 

 straggler sometimes remains the summer through, but has never been 

 known to breed. Their manners are very pleasing when the birds 

 are seen in the distance; but owing to the width of the stream, and 

 the little screen afforded by the banks, it is impossible to observe their 

 manners under water: still during a snow, when few animals are 

 abroad, their lively forms — now momently seen as they emerge from 

 the clear blue waters, and then dropping instantaneously from the 

 sight — add animation to the scene, and are very agreeable adjuncts to 

 the river. Mr. Jordan states (Zool. 450) that the dipper sometimes 

 sings in winter. Those birds which visit us are quite mute. The 

 dipper when alarmed on ice will occasionally make use of its wings. 



Missel Thrush {Tardus visclvorus). Sparingly scattered over our 

 more open meadows and uplands. Sometimes called the * holm 

 thrush,' — I suppose from a habit it possesses of frequenting low 

 holms or willow-holts occasionally : called also ' thrice cock.' If the 



