206 MERGID^. 



Male. — A black patch with green reflections from the base of the bill extend- 

 ing round the eye; head white, occiput with a longitudinal black patch 

 descending down the back of the neck ; chin, throat, neck, breast (except two 

 crescentic black bands) and lower parts white ; flanks and thigh coverts 

 white, with dark zigzag transverse striae; back black; greater wing coverts 

 glossy black, tipped with white ; lesser wing coverts partly white ; primaries 

 dusky black; secondaries glossy black, edged narrowly and tipped with white, 

 forming two narrow bands across the wing; tertiaries leaden grey; upper tail 

 coverts and tail greyish ash; under tail coverts white ; bill light plumbeous 

 with a bluish tinge; irides reddish brown; legs and feet plumbeous. 



Length. — 17 to 18 inches; wing 7-55 to 8-5 ; tail 3'37 to 3*9; bill 1-5 to r6. 



The fejnale has the head, crown, nape and hind neck reddish chestnut 

 brown ; sides of the neck white ; crest short ; back, upper tail coverts and 

 tail deep ashy grey; chin and throat white; breast greyish white ; abdomen 

 white ; flanks grey ; wings as in the male, but the dark parts grey instead of 

 black. 



Length. — 16 to 17 inches; wing 7*5 to 7*75 ; tail 3 to 3-2; bill at front r2 

 to 1*4 



Hah. — Sind, Persia, Afghanistan, Punjab, Oudh, N.-W. Provinces, and North 

 Guzerat. A winter visitant to India, arriving in Sind and the Punjab about 

 the last week in October. The Smew is a shy and wary bird, taking to flight 

 with great readiness. Smews are gregarious and are always to be found in 

 flocks of from 10 to 20 or 30, usually in deep water on the Indus and other 

 large rivers. Hume says — " They are difBcult to approach. They keep in 

 deep water, far away from any cover, and you can only shoot them from a 

 boat; they can swim faster than any ordinary native boat can be propelled, and 

 are always on the alert." They feed on fish and Crustacea chiefly. 



THE END. 



