The Water Ouzel, or Dipper. 219 
reous; the throat and breast white, spotted with red. 
Tt builds its nest of the stalks of plants, and the female 
lays six eggs, nearly all white, except at the blunt end, 
which is encircled with brown or dark red marks. The 
female is somewhat larger than the male ; the head is of 
a rust colour, mixed with gray ; the breast, belly, and 
sides of a dirty white ; the tail deep brown ; the ex- 
terior web of the outer feathers white. Its manners are 
similar to those of the large Butcher-bird. It frequently 
preys on young birds, . which it takes in the nest ; it 
likewise feeds on grasshoppers, beetles, and other insects. 
During the period of incubation, the female soon dis- 
covers herself at the approach of any person by her loud 
and violent outcries. 
THE WATER OUZEL, OR DIPPER, 
(Cinclus aquaticus,) 
Is found in most parts of this island, and is about the 
size of the common blackbird. It feeds upon aquatic 
insects and small fish. The head and upper side of the 
neck are of a kind of umber colour, and sometimes black 
with a shade of red ; the back and coverings of the 
wings are a mixture of black and ash-colour, the throat 
and breast perfectly white. 
The Dipper is said to walk along the bottom of a lake 
or river as -easily as on land ; but this is far from being 
the case, as, though it readily plunges into the water, it 
appears to tumble about in a very extraordinary manner, 
