. A history of British birds, indigenous and migratory: including their organization, habits, and relations; remarks on classification and nomenclature; an account of the principal organs of birds, and observations relative to practical ornithology .. . lfths to an inch and one-twelfth in length,and averaging nine-twelfths in their greatest breadth. Theyare somewhat smaller than those of the Song Thrush. In addition to my own observations, I have much pleasurein presenting the following interesting account of the nidifica-tion of this species, by Thomas Durham Weir, Esq. Boghead, 22d December
. A history of British birds, indigenous and migratory: including their organization, habits, and relations; remarks on classification and nomenclature; an account of the principal organs of birds, and observations relative to practical ornithology .. . lfths to an inch and one-twelfth in length,and averaging nine-twelfths in their greatest breadth. Theyare somewhat smaller than those of the Song Thrush. In addition to my own observations, I have much pleasurein presenting the following interesting account of the nidifica-tion of this species, by Thomas Durham Weir, Esq. Boghead, 22d December 1837.—In this neighbourhood,about the middle of April, the Dippers begin to build theirnests. They are constructed with much ingenuity, and arelarge for the size of the birds. The exterior part of them iscomposed of moss very compactly felted together, having a EUROPEAN DIPPER. 61 hole in their side, resembling that of the Common Wren. Tnthe interior part, the under layer is lined with the stalks ofstrong grass, and the upper one, in all the nests that I haveseen, with the leaves of the beech or the oak. To the place wherethese birds have once taken up their residence, they are strong-ly attached. In the hole of an old wall at the back lade of. Livingston mill-dam, for a considerable time, I have observedone of their nests. Mr Meikle, the miller, told me that apair of them have built in it for thirty-one successive years,and that they generally had three broods in the season, andfour birds in each of them. Although the nest was within afoot of the waterfall, which even sometimes passed over it,they nevertheless flew in and out with the greatest apparentease. I am acquainted with a boy, who told me that he hastaken one repeatedly out of her nest, and after having replacedher, she continued to sit upon her eggs. Being anxious toprocure a good specimen of the female, I caught one whilstsitting upon her brood. As several of the feathers of herwings and tail were much worn, I pull
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookidhistoryofbritish02macg, booksubjectbirdsg
