[Illustration]
Cinclus aquaticus, BECHSTEIN; Le Merle d'Eau, BUFFON; Der
Wasserschwätzer, BECHSTEIN.
This bird resembles the starling in size, but the head is more pointed,
and the body, in general, larger, while the wings and tail are shorter,
the tail being only one inch and a quarter long, and the ends of the
wings cover a fourth part of it; the beak is three quarters of an inch
long, narrow, flattish at the sides, raised in the middle, sharp and
black; the narrow nostrils are almost entirely closed by a membrane; the
iris is light brown; the shanks are an inch high, and of a dark brown,
and have the four toes united together; the head and upper part of the
neck are of a dusky rust brown; the rest of the upper part of the body
is black, with an ashy gray tint; the quill-feathers and tail are
blackish; the neck to half-way down the breast is pure white; the rest
of the breast is deep maroon, which shades into the black of the belly.
In the female the head and upper part of the neck are lighter, and the
white of the breast is not so pure as in the male.
HABITATION.--When wild it frequents by preference the banks of rivers
and streams in mountainous countries, and remains all the year near
those whose waters flow from springs which never freeze.
In confinement it has a cage like the thrush, unless it is by
preference allowed to run about the room.
FOOD.--When wild it feeds upon aquatic insects, worms, and even small
fish, which it is said to seize by diving.
In confinement it becomes insensibly accustomed to one of the
universal pastes, by at first giving it worms, and the eggs of ants
and flies.
BREEDING.--The female lays from four to six eggs in a rather large
nest, which she places in a crack of the rocks at the edge of the
water, or in dikes under mill-dams, the wooden gutters of mills, or
between the wings of old water-wheels which are not in use. The young
may be reared on meal-worms, ants' eggs, and white bread soaked in
milk. It is just as well not to take them till they are ready to fly.
MODE OF TAKING.--Each pair has a chosen spot, which it seldom leaves:
and they are generally seen there either on a trough, a stone, dike,
or a bush growing near; by fixing close to these places limed twigs,
to which are fastened worms, which writhe about and attract
attention, it is very easy to catch them.
As soon as one of these birds is caught and caged, he must be put in
a quiet place, be fed with earth and meal-worms, and thus be
gradually accustomed to the common food.
ATTRACTIVE QUALITIES.--The song of the dipper is not disagreeable; he
has, indeed, some very sonorous strains, which in the distance and
during winter have a very good effect. He also sings in the night.