6. The ROBINS, going on into the minor warblers, and the Wrens;
the essential character of a Robin being that it should have some front
red in its dress somewhere; and the Cross-bills being included in the
class, partly because they have red in their dress, and partly because
I don't know where else to put them.

7. The CREEPERS and TITS--separated chiefly on the ground of their
minuteness, and subtle little tricks and graces of movement.

8. The SPARROWS, going on into Buntings and Finches.

9. The PHEASANTS (substituting this specific name for that of
Scratchers).

10. The HERONS; for the most part wading and fishing creatures,
but leading up to the Stork, and including any long-legged birds that
run well, such as the Plovers.

11. The DABCHICKS--the subject of our present chapter.

12. The SWANS and GEESE.

13. The DUCKS.

14. The GULLS.

Of these, I take the Dabchicks first, for three sufficient reasons;--that
they give us least trouble,--that they best show what I mean by broad
principles of grouping,--and that they are the effective clasp, if not
center, of all the series; since they are the true link between land
and water birds. We will look at one or two of their leading examples,
before saying more of their position in bird-society. I shall give for
the heading of each article, the name which I propose for the bird in
English children's schools--_Dame_-schools if possible; a perfectly
simple Latin one, and a familiar English one. The varieties of existing
nomenclature will be given in the Appendix, so far as I think them
necessary to be known or remembered.

I.

MERULA FONTIUM. TORRENT-OUZEL.

89. There are very few good popular words which do not unite two or
more ideas, being founded on one, and catching up others as they go
along. Thus I find 'dabchick' to be a corruption of 'dip-chick,'
meaning birds that only dip, and do not dive, or even duck, for any
length of time: but in its broader and customary use it takes up the
idea of dabbling; and, as a class-name, stands for 'dabbling-chick,'
meaning a bird of small size, that neither wades, nor dives, nor runs,
nor swims, nor flies, in a consistent manner; but humorously dabbles,
or dips, or flutters, or trips, or plashes, or paddles, and is always
doing all manner of odd and delightful things: being also very
good-humored, and in consequence, though graceful, inclined to
plumpness;[20] and though it ne