230 MERULID.E. 



The eggs of this species are about the size of those of the 

 song-thrush, pure white in colour, and in number varying from 

 four to six. 



The food of the Dipper consists chiefly of the spawn of 

 fish, and small fry, water insects, and their larvae. 



The pied and well-marked colours of this bird, although 

 plain, render it a conspicuous object. The upper part of 

 the head and neck are umber-brown ; the chin, sides of the 

 face, and breast, pure white ; a circle of white feathers sur- 

 rounds the eye ; on the belly, below the white breast, is a 

 band of dark reddish brown ; all the rest of the plumage is 

 greyish-black ; the feathers on the back, scapulars, and upper 

 tail-coverts are bordered with a fringe of a different texture 

 from the centre of the feather, so that in different lights the 

 fringe appears sometimes darker and sometimes lighter than 

 the feather itself. The beak is black ; the iris hazel ; the 

 legs greyish-dusky. 



The female nearly resembles the male, but the brown 

 colour of the head is darker, and the white breast not so 

 pure in tint. In young birds the head and neck are grey, 

 and the division between the white and brown on the under 

 parts imperfect. 



The entire length of the Dipper is seven inches and a 

 half. 



The egg No. 45 belongs to this species. 



END OF THE FIRST VOLUME. 



London : 



Printed by S. & J. Bentley, Wilson, and Fley, 



Bangor House, Shoe Lane. 



