132 DIPPER. 



DIDAPPER.— A name for the Dabchick. 

 DIPPER (Cinclus aquaticus, Bechstein.) 



*Cinclus aquaticus, Bechst. Naturg. Deut. 3. p. 808. — Meyer, Tasschenb. Deut. 1. 



p. 207 Sturnus Cinclus, GmeL Syst. 1. p. 803 Linn. Syst. I. p. 290. 5 



Turdus Cinclus, Lath. lnd. Orn. 1. p. 343. sp. 57 — Merula aquatica, Briss. 



5. p. 252. 19 Rail, Syn. p. 66. A. 7 Will. p. 104. t.24 — Le Merle d'Eau, 



Buff. Ois. 8. p. 134. t. 11 lb. pi. Enl. 940 — Cincle plongeur, Temm. Man. 



d'Orn. l.p. 177 Wasser Spreauw, Sepp. Nerderl. Vog. 1. t. p. 25 — Water 



Ouzel, Br. Zool. 2. No. lll—Arct. Zool.2. p. 332. 8 — Will. (Angl.)p. 149. 



— Lewin's Br. Birds, 2. t. 63 Lath. Syn. 3. p. 48. 50 lb. Supp. p. 142 



Mont. Orn. Diet lb. Supp. and A pp. to Supp Wale. Syn. 2. t. 196 Don. 



Br. Birds, t. 24 Bewick's Br. Birds, 2. p. 16 Selby, pi. 45. p. 62. 



Provincial. — Water- Crow. Water-Piet. Bessy-Duck er.* 

 This singular bird, according- to the later authors, is placed in the 

 thrush genus, to which it certainly has more affinity than to the stare. 

 It is less than the blackbird ; length seven inches and a half. The bill 

 is three quarters of an inch long-, nearly strait, black ; the upper man- 

 dible a little turned down at the points ; irides hazel ; upper part of the 

 head and neck deep brown ; the eyelids, chin, fore part of the neck, and 

 breast, white, beneath which is a band of rufous-brown ; the rest of the 

 upper parts, the belly, vent, and tail, are black ; the feathers on the 

 back and wing-s are edged with ash-colour ; legs black ; the tail much 

 shorter than is usual in the thrushes. 



This species is a retired solitary bird, rarely seen but on the banks 

 of rapid rocky rivers, or streams of water, particularly in the moun- 

 tainous parts, as in Scotland and Wales : it is not unfrequent in Devon- 

 shire. 



In these places it breeds, and continues the whole year. The nest is 

 very larg-e, formed of moss and water-plants externally, and lined with 

 dry oak-leaves : in shape it resembles that of the wren, but is not so deep, 

 with a dome or covering- : it is usually placed in some mossy bank im- 

 pending- the water, in which situation we have frequently found it. 

 The eggs are five or six in number, of a semi-transparent white. The 

 tinge of bluish colour which they are said to have, is occasioned by 

 the yolk, and disappears when they are blown. These are considerably 

 less than those of the blackbird ; their weight rather more than one 

 dram. 



A pair of these birds, which had for many years built under a small 

 wooden bridge in Caermarthenshire, we found had made a nest early in 

 May. It was taken, but had no eggs, although the bird flew out of it 

 at the time. In a fortnight after they had completed another nest in 

 the same place, containing five eggs, which was taken ; and in a month 

 after we took a third nest under the same bridge, with four eggs ; un- 

 doubtedly the work of the same birds, as no others were seen about 

 that part. At the time the last nest was taken the female was sitting, 



