AND NEIGHBOURHOOD. 89 



my mind with many delightful reminiscences of wild 

 mountain and river scenery in our island and abroad. 

 The male bird sits jerking his tail and warbling often 

 amidst a whirl and roar of rushing waters, and, in 

 manner, reminds one a great deal of the Common 

 Wren ; the song is continued throughout the winter 

 months. The Dipper's nest is a large mass of green 

 mosses, sometimes, but not always, lined with leaves 

 of the alder, birch, beech, or willow, with a hole at 

 the side, generally placed in a rocky bank or a hole 

 in old masonry close to a stream, often under a 

 waterfall. The eggs are from five to seven, of a pure 

 white. I have often attempted to rear young Dippers, 

 but never succeeded ; about three months is the 

 longest period I have ever managed to keep them 

 alive. 



Since the above article was written a few more 

 occurrences of this species in our county have come 

 to my knowledge : e. g., a very fine specimen shot in 

 Broughton Field, near Kettering, on January 30th, 

 1886, reported to me by Mr. J, G. Field, of Kettering, 

 from whom I subsequently purchased it^ and presented 

 it to the Northampton Museum. A good specimen 

 of the Black-breasted Dipper, above referred to, was 

 shot at Raunds Staunch, about half a mile above 

 Ringstead Station, L. N. W. Railway, on November 

 18th, 1889 ; and through the good offices of Mr. F. 

 Dyer, of Ramsgate, is now stuffed in my possession. 

 About the end of 1892 a Dipper was several times 

 observed, by persons well acquainted with the species, 

 haunting an open spot below Lilford Locks. 



