Notes on a Water Ouzel
Notes on a Water Ouzel.-Ou May 29, 1944, an adult Water Ouzel (Cinclus mezicanzcs) was caught under a bridge about 10 miles northeast of Alturas, Modoc County, California. Tbe bird’s feet were fixed in a small puddle of tar which had seeped through onto a rafter from the highway above. The tar was washed off its feet with xylol and the bird was banded (34-136528) and released about 100 feet from the stream. Subsequent examination of a blood smear made at the time revealed no parasites. ’
The bird appeared very weak and showed no inclination to fly. It was recaugbt and placed on a small rock at the edge of the stream where it immediately proceeded to drink. A rock containing numerous larvae and pupae of the black fly (Simuliidae) was overturned and the bird placed upon it. It fed voraciously on both the larvae and pupae. The bird then left this rock and swam to another completely submerged rock and fed further on the fly larvae and pupae. It seemed to regain strength rapidly and within half an hour flew to join several other Water Ouzels resting on a sand bar under the bridge ,about 100 feet away. Although there were numerous black flies swarming under and near the bridge, we did not observe any of the birds feeding on the adults.-CAaLToN M. HERMAN, California Divisiolc of Fish and Game, and PEDRO GALLNDO, University of California, August 1, 1944.
