File:Britain's birds and their nests (1910) (14755394265).jpg

Identifier: britainsbirdsthe00thom (find matches)
Title: Britain's birds and their nests
Year: 1910 (1910s)
Authors: Thomson, Arthur Landsborough, Sir, 1890- Thomson, J. Arthur (John Arthur), 1861-1933 Rankin, George
Subjects: Birds -- Great Britain Birds -- Nests
Publisher: London : W. & R. Chambers
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
may mention one special feature. Inside the mouthare four conspicuous whitish spots. Similar markingsof various patterns and colouis are found on thetongue and other parts of the mouth of many Passerinenestlings. Attention has only recently been given to thepoint, and it has not yet been fully studied. We know,however, that such markings tend to occur in thosespecies whose nests are in deep shade; in a thick reed-bed, for instance, as in the present case. This is strongevidence in favour of the theory that the markings areguides for the parents at feeding-time. In a photographof a Bearded-Tifs nest, with six young ones gaping forfood, six groups of white spots stand out from thesurrounding darkness. Family, CINCLID^ (Dippers). THE DIPPER, OR WATER=-OUSEL (Cinclus aquaticus). Plate 111. Any one who knows the Highland burns, runningswiftly over their rock-strewn beds, must know theDipper, a little, rather dumpy bird, with a conspicuouswhite breast and an otherwise dark plumage. Usually
Text Appearing After Image:
Plate III. DIPPER OR WATER-OUSEL-a>/V/^/^ aquaticus. Length, 7 in. ; wing, 3-6 in. (Passeres : Cinclidae.)2 M 304 BRITAIiN^S BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS. 305 it may be seen flitting from stone to stone in a jerkymanner, alighting in characteristic fashion. If we arelucky we may see it exercise its remarkable power ofwalking into and under the water. Down it walks, quiteunconcernedly, and moves about the bottom searchingfor the aquatic organisms that form its food. Up itcomes, and shakes its plumage diy in an instant. Atanother time it sinks from the surface where it wasmomentarily floating. Exactly how it keeps under wateris a mystery, just as in the case of the self-submergingof the Dabchick and other Water-Fowl. Any force thatis exerted vertically seems wholly inadequate to keep alight body like a bird wholly under water. That a Passerine bird should have taken to an aquaticmode of life is rather remarkable. It is yet anotherinstance of a bird modifying its habits to escape thecompetit

Note About Images