but the time it spends with us is so short that but few opportunities o f observing it are afforded us. I
trust that the following extract from Mr. Wolley’s valuable paper will supply my deficiencies.
Mr. Wolley, after having ascertained that the native names o f the Smew among the Laplanders are Ungilo
and l/inilo, states that “ In 1857 the clergyman of Muonioniska, Priest Liljeblad, had been transferred to
Sodankyla; and in the spring o f this year, an intelligent young man, Carl Leppajervi, went to be assistant
to his former teacher. I gav^Carl strict charge to make every inquiry for Uinilo in that part of the world,
and o f travellers from Kemi Trask. On the 30th o f July, 1857, as I passed by the homestead o f Regina’s
Calle, the famous steerer o f the Muonio Falls, there was given to me a wooden box, such'as is used in the
country for carrying butter on a journey, addressed, ‘To the English gentleman Joh Woleg in Muonio-
vaara.’ The box was not tied or secured in any way; and on the lid being opened there first appeared
a well-written Finnish letter, of parts o f which the following is an exact translation Matthias Lakso of
Made-koski-kyla, on the Kitinen-joki, five Swedish miles from Sodankyla, has found on the Liesi-joki eggs of
Uinilo, and has brought to me three.. . . They were found on the 8 th day o f the Summer-month [June] 1857.
Of an old birch trunk the wood was rotted away, and it was left hollow, forming a hole in which they were.
There were two men in company, and the other man has given four eggs to the priest; there were seven of
them, but there was no down brought. The Uinilo was also killed, and with the eggs it too is sent.—C a r l
L e p p a j e r v i . First day o f the Hay-month [July] 1857.’
“ The next thing in the box that struck my eye was a stiff-necked skin o f a female Smew, with hatching-
spots on the under side; then five or six eggs o f other birds; and lastly, well wrapped in tow, were the
three Smews. The eggs rather staggered me* at first sight, they were so like WidgeonsV On comparing
them with a series of something like fifty Widgeons’ eggs, I found they were nearly o f the, same size, though
rather below the average; they were more flattened at the smaller end’, and had less o f the yellowish tinge
about them: so that a person not much used to eggs could distinguish them. It-was not long before I
perceived that there was also a decided difference o f texture. This could be perceived ,on an ordinary
examination, but it became very striking on exposing the egg. to direct sunshine .and examining the
penumbra, or space between full light and fall shadow, with a magnifying-glass; the sharp ‘ mountainous ’,
structure o f the Widgeon’s egg was strongly contrasted with the lower and more rounded character of
the elevations in the Smew’s.' The ivory-like texture o f the Goosander’s .egg was a pretty.parallel to
the character o f that o f the Smew:’’
Mr. Wolley adds, “ I have seen a MS. list o f birds from the German naturalist Herr Hoffmansegg, then
resident at Archangel, from which it appears that Mergus albellus occurs in that neighbourhood, which is
considerably more southerly than Muonioniska or Sodankyla. As I did not hear o f it on the north or northeast
coast o f Norway, and as it is not known to breed in Sweden, I should be inclined to suppose it. to be
generally an eastern and northern bird. It is worthy o f note that the very pale colour .of the down o f the
Smew seems to be connected with its choosing holes for breeding: No bird o f the Duck kind that has white
down, as far as I know, places its eggs in an exposed situation.”
These very rare eggs, together with the whole o f Mr. Wolley’s collections, were bequeathed to and are
now in the possession o f Alfred Newton, Esq., o f Elveden Hall, near Thetford, in Norfolk, a gentleman in every
way worthy o f such a valuable gift, since few persons possess a more intimate acquaintance, not only with
our native birds, but with those of Europe generally.
The food of the Smew consists o f fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and aquatic insects o f various kinds. Its
powers of swimming and diving are most perfect, even more so than those of flight, though these, as maybe
readily conceived from the extent o f its migrations, are by no means inconsiderable.
The general hue of the male is pure white, relieved by an oval-patch o f greenish-black at the base o f the
bill, a broad stripe o f the same colo'ur on each side of the head, and two narrow crescentic marks o f black
on each side o f the chest; the centre o f the back is also black; the rump, upper tail-coverts,. and tail
ashy grey; the lesser wing-coverts and scapularies white, the latter edged with black ; greater coverts and
secondaries black, tipped with white, forming two narrow white bands; primaries brownish black; tertials
ashy grey, those nearest the body being the darkest; flanks grey, crossed by narrow irregular lines o f dark
brown; bill greenish lead-colour; nail horn-colour; irides reddish brown.; legs, toes, and webs leaden grey..
The female, which is smaller than the male; has the head rusty red; chin white; upper and .breast surface
grey; under surface white.
The Plate represents two males rather less than the natural size, and a female in the distance, much reduced.