DIPPER,
the white below more extensive, and crossed by fine rays of yellowish
grey or brown. The wings extend to one foot in width.
1 n the young the hill is bluish black, tinged with brown at the
edges; iris, pale brown, with a ring of black in the middle, as in the
adult : head, crown, neck on the back, and nape, dull greyish brown;
t h i n , yellowish or greyish white; throat and breast above, pale dull
buff, the feathers tipped with blackish brown; below and on the
sides, grey, mixed with dull cream-colour, with darker lines; back,
dull greyish brown, the feathers margined witli brownish black.
Greater and lesser wing coverts, brownish black, the latter tipped
with gre\ ish white; primaries, secondaries, and tertiaries, brownish
black. the latter tipped with greyish white. Tail, brownish black,
tipped with brownish white; under tail coverts, dull grey, mixed with
cream-colour. Legs and toes, bluish grey, tinged with brown, paler
in front; claws, brown, margined with whitish. Alter the first moult,
which takes place in September, they nearly assume the adult plumage,
but not entirely so until the second change.
I refer my readers to a demonstrative and most conclusive paper
by my brother, Beverley It. Morris, Esq., M.D., the Editor of 'The
Naturalist,1 volume i., pages 5 to 11 of that periodical, ' On the power
that certain Water-Birds possess of remaining partially submerged in
deep water.'
A large variety has been described with a dusky bar encircling the
lower part of the neck, and the white of the breast with numerous
small black streaks, pointing downwards.