PALLAS’ DIPPER. 
458 
whose supposed native place was the Crimea, were in fact 
American, The two species are so much alike in size, shape, 
and even colour, as to defy the attempts of the most deter- 
mined system-maker to separate them into different groups. 
The single species, of which the genus Cinclus had hitherto 
consisted, was placed in Sturnus by Linn6 ; and by Scopoli, 
with much more propriety, in Motacilla, Latham referred it 
to Turdus, Brisson, mistaking for affinity the strong and cu- 
rious analogy which it bears to the waders, considered it as 
belonging to the genus Tringa^ (sandpipers.) Bechstein, Illi- 
ger, Cuvier, and all the best modern authorities, have regarded" 
it as the type of a natural genus, for which they have unani- 
mously retained the name of Cinclus, given by Bechstein, 
Vieillot alone dissenting, and calling it Hydrohata, This 
highly characteristic name, notwithstanding its close resem- 
blance in sound and derivation to one already employed by 
Illiger, as the name of a family, appears to be a great favour- 
ite with recent ornithologists, as they have applied it succes- 
sively to several different genera, and Temminck has lately 
attempted to impose it on the genus of ducks which I had 
named FuHgula, In my system, the genus Cinclus must take 
its place in the family Canori, between the genera Turdus and 
Myiotliera. 
The dippers, or water ouzels, are well distinguished by their 
peculiar shaped bill, which is compressed-subulate, slightly 
bent upwards, notched, and with its edges bent in, and finely 
denticulated from the middle ; but more especially, by their 
long, stout, perfectly smooth tarsi, with the articulation ex- 
posed, a character which is proper to the order of waders, of 
which they have also the habits, nay, are still more aquatic 
than any of them. Their plumage also being thick, compact, 
and oily, is impermeable to water, as much so as that of the 
most decidedly aquatic web-footed birds ; for, when dipped 
into it, that fluid runs and drops from the surface. Their head 
is flat, with the forehead low and narrow ; the neck is stout ; 
the body short and compact ; the nostrils basal, concave, Ion- 
