90 THE BIRDS OF ESSEX.
Family CINCLIDAE.
Dipper: Cinclus aquaticus.
A common resident among mountain-streams, but only a very
rare and accidental visitor to Essex, and the east and south of
England generally, although an instance of its breeding in Middlesex
has been recorded (40. vi. 109).
Mr. Clarke speaks (24) of one killed at Audley End in 1830, and formerly in
the Walden Museum, and in the Museum Catalogue prepared by him in 1845,
this bird is marked as having occurred near the town. Yarrell, doubtless refer-
ring to the above occurrence, says (14. i. 176) it " has been seen in Essex." Mr
J. D. Hoy records (18. i. 117) that " one [was] shot early in the autumn of 1835,
on the borders of a large fish-pond [at] St. Osyth." He adds, 'The occurrence
of the Dipper in this part of the island is extremely rare." Dr. A. Maclean of
Colchester, writing to T. C. Heysham about 1835, says (16), " I have lately
mounted a fine specimen of the Water Ouzel, shot within sixteen miles of Col-
chester." Another was obtained near Colchester in the winter of 1880-81, and
preserved by Ambrose (29. Apr. 23). Possibly the former of these is one of two
specimens (one of which is of the black-bellied sub-species) still preserved in a case
in the Colchester Museum. Mr. Hope informs me that he has heard of speci-
mens being shot on the Stour ; and one was " seen in a stream of running water
at Wrabness in 1887" (Kerry). The Rev. J. C. Atkinson informs me
that he never met with it in the county, and Mr. J. F. T. Wiseman has
never met with it in the Paglesham district. Mr. Baxter tells me that about
the beginning of September, 1889, one was killed in Leigh Ray, but was unfor-
tunately eaten by a cat. Canon Babington mentions (46. 49) " a pair of the
chestnut-breasted form from the Stour above Sudbury, formerly in Mr. King's
collection." He adds: " Mr. Hills bought them at the sale of the Sudbury
Museum, and gave them to me."
Black-bellied Dipper : Cinclus aquaticus-melanogaster.
This is the Scandinavian and North European form of the Com-
mon Dipper. It occasionally appears in this country during winter,
chiefly in the eastern counties; but I only know of one actual occur-
rence in Essex, though an examination of the various specimens
mentioned above would very likely show them to belong to this form.
In the Walden Museum there is a specimen shot near the town many years ago,
and presented by Mr. Jabez Gibson. Probably it is the Audley End specimen
mentioned above.