BIRDS — MERGINAE — MERGELLUS ALBELLUS. 817 



MERGELLUS ALBELLUS, Selby. 



Smew. 



Merffta aUxUtu, Linn. I, 1766, 21)9.— Wilson, Am. Orn. VIII, IS14, 12G ; pi. Uxi. (European sp. ?)-Bon. Obs. 

 WiU. 1825, 250.— NuTTALL, Man. II, 1834, 407.- Auu. Orn. Hin};. IV, 183S, 35'); pi. 317. (Female 

 figured from Am. specimen; male from European.) — lu. Syn. 1839. — Ib. Birds Amer. VI, 1843, 

 4Ud; pi. 414. 



ileryflUu flbtUiis, Selbv. Brit. Orn. 1840. 



ilergta mimUu3, Linn. 1, 1766, 209, Ni). 6. Young. 



Jlergua albultu as\d pannonicia, Scopoli. 



M rgus stellutus, Brlnn. Orn. Bor. 98, 



Sp. Ch. — Tail of 16 feathers. Bill shorter than the inner toe. General color white. Region round eye, patch on each side 

 the nape, half collar on each side the lower neck, middle of back, tail, and wings black ; the scapulars, middle wing coverts, 

 tertials, and tips of greater coverts and secondaries white. 



Female with head reddish brown. 



Length, 17.50 inches; wiag, 7.75; tarsus, 1.15; commissure, 1.60. 



Bab. — Northern parts of Old World. Very accidental in America. 



I introduce a brief diagnosis of this species, the existence of which in America is based upon 

 a female bird found at New Orleans by Mr. Audubon. No one else has ever met with it, and 

 this single straggler (in respect to which Mr. Audubon may have even been mistaken) can 

 hardly warrant its being considered an American bird. 



Wilson, in speaking of the abundance of the Smew in the northern United States, probably 

 had the butterball, Bucepliala albeola, in view. 



August 20, 1858. 



103 b 



