140 THE LIVING ANIMALS OL THE WORLD 
rows or under ledges of rock, as among the 
wheat-ears, which lay white eggs. 
The bird commonly known as the 
Hedge-sparrow is a close ally of the Thrush 
Family, having nothing to do with the 
sparrows proper — which are finches — as its 
name would imply. 
Another nearly related form is the 
Dipper, or Water-ouzel. By no means 
brilliantly coloured, it is nevertheless an 
exceedingly interesting bird,- and one never 
met with away from mountain streams. The 
group has a wide distribution, occurring 
in suitable localities in Europe, Asia, 
and the Rocky Mountains of America, and 
extending from Colombia to Peru and 
Tucuman. Squat in form, with rounded 
wings and short tail, the ouzel seeks the 
greater part of its food on the bottom 
of swiftly running streams. It is every- 
where, writes Dr. Sharpe of the commoner of 
the two British species, a shy and watchful 
bird, and, except in the breeding-season, 
appears to be solitary. By patient watching 
near the dipper’s haunts, however, it is 
possible to observe the bird scudding over 
the surface of the water with a rapid flight 
and a vigorous beating of the wings, something like that of a kingfisher, until it alights 
on a rock or large stone in the middle of the stream. Its white breast then stands out 
in bold relief, and, after pausing for a moment, the bird commences to edge to the side 
of the rock, and either walks deliberately into the water, or disappears suddenly beneath the 
surface, seeking its food at the bottom of the stream, in the shape of larvae, caddis-worms, 
water-beetles, and small snails. 
The Wrens are probably near allies of the Dippers. The family includes a number of 
species of small birds, most largely represented in the New World, but distributed widely over 
the Old World also. Two occur in the British Islands: of these, one, the COMMON Wren, is 
found throughout Europe, and occurs also in Northern Africa, Asia Minor, and North Palestine; 
whilst the other, the S'P. KlLDA WREN, is only found on the island from which it takes 
its name. 
Considerations of space compel us to pass over three or four families, of comparatively 
little interest to any save the scientific ornithologist, in favour of the Fly-CATCHERS and 
Swallows. 
The former, in that the young are spotted, appear to evince some affinity to the Thrush 
Tribe, but they have broad and flatter bills than the latter, whilst the mouth is surrounded 
by more or less conspicuous bristles. They are entirely Old World forms, having their 
stronghold in Africa. 
Three species of fly-catcher occur in England, though only one, the COMMON or Spotted 
Fly-catcher, usually breeds in Great Britain, coming late in the spring from Africa. As its 
name implies, it feeds upon small insects, capturing them on the wing by sudden sallies, 
and returning immediately after to some perch, generally a garden-fence, or the bare bough of a 
tree. As a rule the prey is caught with a sudden dart, but sometimes only after a prolonged 
flight, when the bird will double and turn, as the necessity arises, with great skill. Its nest. 
photo by G. Watmough ff'ebiter ^ [^Chsster 
STONE-CHAT 
^ resident nnd generally distributed bird 
