DUBLIN NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 
93 
to seize him, he darted into the water, running slap in; waded in after 
him ; under water he looks quite glossy, hut does not seem increased in 
hulk, the glossiness prohahly arising from the oiled state of the plumage, 
or else from its peculiar texture. When I first got up with the hird he 
was perfectly stationary at the bottom, not using any exertion to remain 
there (this remark applies to two other birds wounded later in the day, 
which also took to the water). The hird next got under a big stone, 
and when I poked him out on one side he ran to the other—after the lapse 
of a minute or so he put his head out of the water to breathe, always 
keeping the stone between him and me, and when I tried to catch 
him he would dodge under the water again, and come up on the other 
side. 
“Finding that I was still chasing him, he took to the stream, and went 
under water faster than I could follow him; he seemed to move now al¬ 
together by means of his feet, his wings hanging down behind his tail, 
though his motions were so quick it was difficult to be positive as to the 
latter part of this observation. At times he swam in mid-water, using 
his wings, crossing the current several times, and seeming but little in¬ 
commoded by it. 
“All at once he turned over on his back—still possessing the power of 
continuing under water—struggling to regain his original position, he 
spun round and round; it appeared as though the wounded wing had 
suddenly failed him, and thus prevented his preserving a due equilibrium 
in the water. At length he came to the top, when he immediately righted 
and swam as at other times; every time I tried to lay hold on him he again 
ducked and dived down to the bottom, at first all right, and then the 
tumbling began again. When captured at length, I found him merely 
winged.” 
I was enabled to confirm these observations several times that day, as 
I obtained seven specimens, five of which necessitated a watery chase 
before I succeeded in catching them, and one got clear off. I ought to 
explain such seeming needless cruelty in shooting so many of these 
harmless birds, but the specimens were required for a series of dissections 
at that time in hands. 
From these observations it would appear that both feet and wings 
are used in progression, the latter in mid-stream (when the bird almost 
looked as if it were flying), the wings doubtless being also of essential 
use in preserving a proper balance in the water, probably acting like the 
pectoral fins of the fish. The bird’s progression along the bottom was 
certainly by means of its feet alone. 
Like many water animals, the sensation in this bird appears blunted; 
at least, two of those I winged and afterwards captured sat coolly look¬ 
ing at me, as though uninjured, without leaving their position, perking 
and jerking their tails, and “checking” at me as unconcernedly as possible, 
so that, had I not had some confidence in my aim, I should certainly 
have taken a second shot at them. The stomachs of all those I examined 
contained only insect remains. 
This bird is extremely common in our mountain glens. I have 
vol. v.— proc. soc. o 
