On the anatomy and habits of the water-ousel (Cinclus aquaticus) / by Edwards Crisp.

  • Crisp, Edwards, 1806-1882.
Date:
[1865]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the anatomy and habits of the water-ousel (Cinclus aquaticus) / by Edwards Crisp. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    [From the Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, January 10, 1865.] On the Anatomy and Habits of the Water-Ousel (Cinclus aouaticus). By Edwards Crisp, M.D., F.Z.S, etc. I have for a long time been occupied in preparing a work on the British Birds, more especially in reference to their structure, in con- nexion with their habits, the nature of their food, &c.; and there is no bird that has puzzled me so much as the Water-Ousel, and it is on this account that I bring the subject before the Society, hoping that I may obtain some information from the members present. I need not go very minutely into the history of this bird; but it will, I think, be interesting to compare some parts of its anatomy with those of the other Merulidce. The object of my paper will be to endeavour, first, to ascertain by what means this bird, so unlike all aquatic birds in form, is enabled to dive and remain some time under water and capture its prey; secondly, to inquire respecting the nature of its food, and its supposed depredations on the ova and fry of fishes. I may premise that I have shot several of these birds in Scotland for the purpose of ascertaining the character of their food, and that I have had many opportunities of observing their habits. The three speci- mens on the table were sent to me recently (Nov. 30) by my friend Mr. Grierson, of Thornhill, Dumfriesshire; and I have dissected and [1]