96 
CINCLUS PALLAsn. 
The dippers run very fast : their flight is direct, 
swift as an arrow, just skimming the surface, precis 6 ^ 
in the manner of the kingfisher. They often pin 11 ', 
under at once, without alighting, reappearing ,, 
distance. When on their favourite rocks, these bit"’ 
are constantly dipping in the water, at the same tb* 
flirting their erected tail. While on the wing, thjj 
utter a feeble cry, their voice being weak and sin 11 ' 
but somewhat varied ; and they sing from their pc'® 1 
not loud, but sweetly, even in the depth of wiid l ‘ f i 
Early in the spring, they begin to utter clear 
distinct notes, and are among the first to cheer y, 
lonely and romantic haunts which they frequent, 
their simple melody. 
These birds, like others that live about the w»^j 
pair early, and have two broods in the season. T 11 . 
young can leave their nest before being full-fledged ; *" ' 
at the approach of danger, drop from the height wt 1 - 1 -! 
it is generally placed, into the water. In order that w , 
may be done, they build in some place overhanging 
tlif 
water, the ledge of a rock, or the steep bank 
'of* 
ti»k 
advantage of mills, bridges, or other works of n’ . 
The nest is large, composed of moss, and vaulted abO; . 
the eggs are from four to six, and of a milky w’lwj 
Though very carefully hid, it may be easily discov® f{ 
by the incessant chirping of the young. ' „ j 
Having seen nothing hut the dried skin of 'A 
American dipper, and being utterly unacquainted "'It, 
its habits, we have been describing as common to j] 
genus those of the European species, which are "'j 
known, and which we have stopped to watch ill> 
admire among the precipices of the Alps and W’ 1 !, 
nines, where it struggles with the steepest and )ll, h 
noisy cascades, and the wildest torrents. The 
ingly great similarity of form in the two spo* 51 -,, 
strongly warrants the belief of equal similarity , |f 
habits. The more uniform and cinereous hue of , ( 
American, the want of reddish, hut especially 
striking absence of the white on the throat and b 1 ’® 3 
3 
