General descrip tion. autumn approaches, it quits its mountainous haunts, journeying southwards; and, about the latter part of October, leaves this kingdom for warmer climates, where it passes the winter. It is common in Sweden, France, and Germany; but, according to TEMMINCK, is very rare in Holland. PLATE 44. Fig. 2. Natural size. Bill blackish-brown, having the base of the mandible yellowish. Upper parts of the body black, the feathers being margined with blackish-grey. On the upper part of the breast is a large crescent-shaped gorget of pure white; the rest of the under parts black, margined with grey. Greater wing-coverts deeply marginated with ash-grey. Tail black. Irides dark-brown. Legs blackish-brown. The plumage of the female bird is more clouded with grey, and the pectoral gorget is smaller, and clouded with reddish-brown and grey. In the young females this gorget is not visible; and in the young males it is of a reddish-white. Varieties are sometimes found similar to those of the Blackbird. SUBFAMILY MYIOTHERINA. The members of this subfamily, with the exception of the genus Cinclus, are all natives of the other quarters of the globe. Besides the genus Myiothera (ILLIGER), it embraces that of Pitta (VIEILL.), Myophonus (TEMм.), Cinclus (BECHST.), Dasycephala (SWAINS.), Chamæza (VIGORS), and various others. An intimate connection with each other, and with the remaining subfamilies of the Merulidæ, as well as with other groups of the Dentirostral tribe, is maintained by various species belonging to the above named genera; but as the nature and extent of this work will not admit of my tracing the various affinities and circular disposition of each particular group, I refer my readers to the observations upon the Merulida and other families of the Insessores, contained in the second volume of the "Northern Zoology." GENUS CINCLUS, BECHST. DIPPER. GENERIC CHARACTERS. Bill rather slender, straight, or with a very slight inclination upwards, compressed at the sides, and the tomia bending inwards; upper mandible emarginated at the tip, and bending over the lower one. Nostrils basal, lateral, and naked; longitudinally cleft, and partly covered by a membrane. Head small, the forehead narrow and low. Body short and compact. Feet with three toes before and one behind; the outer toe joined at its base to the middle one. Tarsus longer than the middle toe. Claws slightly curved, and compressed; that of the hind toe the largest. Wings short, the first quill being not half the length of the second, which also is shorter than the third and fourth. This interesting genus, which, in habits, presents so curious an anomaly with the rest of the Insessores, and which, in former artificial systems, held, as it were, an isolated station, has, by both VIGORS and SWAINSON, been classed with the Myiotherina; with several of which it has been found, by a careful analysis, to be connected in direct affinity. In addition to the common species (the European Dipper) and the Cinclus Pallasii, mentioned by TEMMINCK, another species has been discovered (Cinclus Americanus of SWAINSON) inhabiting Mexico, and the streams of the Rocky Mountains; and a fourth, perfectly distinct from Cinc. Pallas., is also mentioned by Mr SWAINSON, as seen by him from India. EUROPEAN DIPPER. CINCLUS AQUATICUS, Bechst. PLATE XLV*. Cinclus aquaticus, Bechst. Naturg. Deut. v. 3. p. 808.—Meyer, Tasschenb. Deut. v. 1. p. 207. Sturnus Cinclus, Gmel. Syst. 1. p. 803. sp. 5.-Linn. Syst. 1. p. 290. 5. Turdus Cinclus, Lath. Ind. Ornith. v. 1. p. 343. sp. 57. Merula aquatica, Briss. v. 5. p. 252. 19.-Raii Syn. p. 66. A. 7.— Will. p. 104. t. 24. Le Merle d'Eau, Buff. Ois. v. 8. p. 134. t. 11.-Id. Pl. Enl. 940. Wasser Spreauw, Sepp. Nederl. Vög. v. 1. t. p. 25. -Id. Water Ouzel, Br. Zool, 2. No. 111.-Arct. Zool. 2. p. 332. 8.—Will. (Ang.) THESE interesting little birds are natives of our island, but, from their peculiar habits, are confined to certain districts; those only where they can meet with clear and rocky streamlets. It is therefore in the mountainous tracts of Scotland and Wales, in some of the northern counties of England, in parts of Devonshire, and probably in Derbyshire, that we must look for these wild and solitary songsters. They are generally seen single, or in pairs, and always on the margin of the stream, or perched in their particular attitude, on some projecting stone in the middle of the water. From such situations I have repeatedly seen them dive below the surface, and remain submerged for a considerable time, occupied in pursuing the fry (or young fish), or in search of the larvæ of aquatic insects. At other times they walk slowly into the water from the shallow part of a pool, till it becomes of sufficient depth for diving; but I have not been able, even from close observation, to certify the fact repeated by some naturalists, of their walking with apparent ease at the bottom; and which error of opinion might arise from the man ner of their occasionally entering the water as above stated. On the contrary, the same exertion seems to be used by them as by other diving birds, an idea also entertained by MONTAGU, to whose pleasing description of the habits of this species I refer my readers.* I have had an opportunity of bestowing attention on the manners of these birds, a pair having, for some years, built in a mass of rock rising from a rivulet at a very short distance from my residence. They are very early breeders, and their first family is, in general, fully fledged in the beginning of May. The young quit the nest before they are able to fly to any considerable distance indeed, upon being disturbed, although but half fledged, they immediately leave it, diving with great ease the moment they reach the water, which the parent birds contrive shall be effected with expedition, as they most commonly build their large mossy nest in such part of the rock as directly overhangs the stream. The situation of their nest is readily discovered, when oc- Nest, &c. cupied by the young birds, from their incessant chirping. It is similar in shape to that of the Wren, composed externally of moss, and lined with the decayed leaves of oak and other trees. The eggs are four or five in number, of a transparent white. When perched, this bird uses a constant dipping motion, at the same time flirting its tail, which is carried rather erect, in the same manner as that of the Wren. Water insects and the fry and spawn of fish form its food. Food. Its song is variable, and it begins to utter its strong and distinct notes very early in the spring, and is the first warbler that cheers a visitor to the lonely and romantic situations it usually frequents. It is rather generally diffused throughout Europe, inhabiting similar localities to those in Britain. During the severity of winter it leaves the smaller mountain rivulets (then becoming frequently choked with ice and snow), and resorts to the larger streams which remain open, * See MONT. Ornith. Dict. Supplement, and Appendix to Supplement. General descrip tion. and afford it a plentiful supply of food. This I have often observed with respect to the Tweed, and to the Annan in Dumfriesshire, upon both of which rivers it is numerously distributed during winter, but is comparatively rare in the summer and breeding season. In the latter river, when partially frozen over, I have repeatedly seen it dive from the edge of the ice into the rapid stream, and, after a submersion of some seconds, reappear with a small fish, or a caddis-worm (the larva of a species of Phryganea) in its bill. PLATE 45*. represents a male bird and female bird of the natural size. Head and back part of the neck umber-brown. Upper parts black, the feathers margined with blackish-grey. Throat, eyelids, sides of the neck, and upper part of the breast white. Lower part of the breast and belly chestnut-brown, passing into brownish-black towards the vent. Under tail-coverts blackish-grey. Bill blackishbrown. Legs yellowish-grey. Irides yellowish-brown. The female is similar to the male, except that the head is of a deeper brown, and the white upon the neck and breast is sullied in hue. The young are distinguished by the deep-grey feathers that cover the head and back part of the neck. In them the white also extends lower down the belly towards the vent, and is crossed by fine rays of yellowishgrey or brown. A large variety with a dusky bar encircling the bottom of the neck, and the white of the breast and belly having numerous small black streaks pointing downwards, is mentioned by LATHAM, in the Second Supplement to his General Synopsis, under the title of the Penrith Ouzel. The other two varieties mentioned in the Appendix to MONTAGU'S Supplement, I should consider as belonging to a very late brood of the preceding year, and which had not acquired the complete plumage of maturity. |