B y reversing the usual order of arrangement of the species
of this genus, and placing the smallest bird first, the transition
from the oceanic Ducts to the Mergansers--is easy and
natural, agreeing as well in_general appearance as they are
known to assimilate in habits. The Smew, or Smee, as it.
is sometimes called, is a winter visiter here,' and the most
common species of the genus,, frequenting, pur rivers and
large pieces of fresh water, as well as most parts of the coast.
The adult male is a handsome bird, remarkable, for the contrast;
rather than the variety of the colours of his plumage.
Young birds, frequently called Red-headed Smews,; are much
more common in our markets than old males. As* a., species^
they are shy and vigilant, taking-long flights occasionally.
They feed on small fish, Crustacea, and aquatic insects, whieh
they obtain without difficulty, as they are excellent divers,
but when walking they appear to labour in their progression
from the backward position of their legs.
Smews are not mentioned as having been known- to breed
in this country, but leave us in spring to return to more
northern, or rather, north-eastern localities. Richard' -Dann,
Esq. tells me these birds are very common in - the Elbe in
winter, and- that he has sefeti them at the entrance of the
Stockholm Fiord in November, but,nowhere elsp. Pennant,
in his Arctic Zoology, says, that in the Russian Empire
Smews frequent the same places with the Goosander; each
of them retiring southward a t the approach of w inter; and
are observed returning up the Volga in February, tending
towards the north. The Sesting habits of the Smew are
unknown, but the eggs are said to be eight or ten in number,
and the colour whitish.
This bird is not found on the west coast of Norway, on
the Faroe Islands, • in Iceland, or Greenland. The species
was not observed by any of our Arctic travellers either on
the northern parts of the American continent or any of the
numerous: islands, and there is reason to believe that it is
only an accidental strag^ler-to the United States.
In thisvkfcttntry it is well known on the east, south, and
west?;coasts; and Mr. W . Thompson mentions having seen
specimens from different parts of Ireland. East of our own
country ithe Smew is rather common in Holland and Germany
in winter; öOrev rare in France, frequents also the lakes
ofifikwitzerlanc!^and has-been: observed there as late as May;
it visits also Provèneetód Ifcalyï -• The Smew has been found
as far south as Tihos?* in'-Stffe Grecian Archipelago. Mr.
Strickland saw-'specimens at Smyrna* in winter;. The Zoological;/
Sofefety- have '-afeotehyed * specimens, sent by Keith
Abbott^ : Esq. from Trebizond; and the Russian naturalists
include, it»’ in Stbe catalogue of Birds' found in the country of
■th$s?GaucaSus. Finally, M. Temminck remarks that specimens
received from Japan' do not differ from those killed
in Europe./ .
; In_thq'-adult maledhe^bili is one inch and a half long, and
of a bluish-lead colour, the nail-horny and white'; the irides
reddish-brown ; ah the base of-th'e* bill,on each side a black
patch, which just^surrounds' the eye’; from the crown of the
head down the linn of thé occiput, another dark patch elongated^
which i s : tinged with green, the dark feathers mixed
with others that are white, and all somewhat elongated forming
a crest; the^bther parts of the head, the chin, and all
the neck white; the back black; rump, upper tail-coverts,
an^. tail-feathers ash-grey; the point of the wing greyish-
black, with two crescentic lines of black pointing forward, one
before and one behind the point of the wing; the small
wing-coverts and scapulars white, the latter edged with black;
- great coverts and Secondaries black; tipped with white, forming
two narrow white bands ; the primaries ■ nearly black ;
tertials ash-grey passing to lead-grey, the inner feathers
being the darkest in colour; all the under surface of the