AMERICAN DIPPER. 
185 
been favoured by Mr. Townsend : — “ This bird inhabits the clear mountain 
streams in the vicinity of the Columbia river. When observed it was 
swimming among the rapids, occasionally flying for short distances over the 
surface of the water, and then diving into it, and reappearing after a long 
interval. Sometimes it will alight along the margin, and jerk its tail 
upwards like a Wren. I did not hear it utter any note. The stomach was 
found to contain fragments of fresh-water snails. I observed that this bird 
did not alight on the surface of the water, but dived immediately from the 
wing.” 
Cinclus Pallasii, Bonap. Amer. Orn., vol. ii. p. 173. 
Cinclus Americanus, American Dipper , Swains. & Ricli.F.Bor. Amer., vol.ii.p. 173. 
Black Water-Ouzel or Dipper, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 358. 
American Dipper, Cinclus Americanus, And. Ora. Biog., vol. iv. p.493 ; vol. v. p.303. 
Adult Male. 
Bill rather short, slender, slightly ascending, much compressed toward the 
end ; upper mandible with its dorsal line slightly arched, the ridge rounded, 
the sides convex, the edges sharp and inflected, with an obscure notch close 
to the narrow slightly deflected tip ; lower mandible slightly bent upwards, 
the angle medial and very narrow, the dorsal line ascending and slightly 
convex, the tip narrow and rather acute, the gape-line straight. Nostrils 
linear, direct, in the lower and fore part of the nasal membrane, which is 
covered with very short feathers. Eyes rather small ; eyelids densely 
feathered. 
The general form is short, full, and compact ; the head oblong. compressed, 
rather small ; the neck rather short ; the body rather deeper than broad. 
Legs strong, of ordinary length ; tarsus compressed, covered anteriorly with 
a long undivided plate and four inferior scutella, posteriorly with two long 
plates meeting at a very acute angle. Toes rather large and strong ; the first, 
second, and fourth, nearly equal in length, but the first much stronger, the 
third much longer ; the third and fourth united as far as the second joint of 
the latter. Claws rather long, arched, much compressed, that of the hind 
toe considerably larger. 
Plumage very soft and blended, the feathers oblong and rounded ; those 
about the base of the bill very short and velvety. No bristles at the base 
of the bill. Wings rather short, broad, convex, and rounded ; the first quill 
very short and narrow, being about a third of the length of the second, 
which is shorter than the fourth, the third longest, and with the next three 
slightly cut out on the outer web towards the end ; secondary quills long, 
broad, and rounded. Tail short, even, of twelve rather broad feathers, 
