FamMiIty MERGIDA& 
This is a curious looking group of the duck tribe. Their chief 
qualification for originality is the bill, which is straight, narrow and 
cylindrical ; edges of the mandibles are lined with a strong row of 
teeth pointed backwards, giving its prominent snout an awkward 
appearance. Should you manage to get your hand inside, it would 
be difficult to get it out again without saving it from injury. These 
teeth are a modification of, lamelle so frequently noticed in water- 
birds, ducks more especially ; tarsus is short and having a considerably 
backward position ; feet large ; hind toe lobed ;_ tail cuneate ; head 
crested. General appearance of Merganser is long and flattish. 
These birds fly swiftly, and are strong on the wing ; the gait is 
awkward ; but in the water they are expert divers. 
(972) Meraus castor, Merganser. This curious looking duck 
is often seen in winter, sporting in Great Runjeet or Teesta rivers, 
having migrated from Thibet, and Northern Asia. Castor in size 
is 26 inches. Its bill is deep red; irides red ; feet orange ; colour, 
above, is deep black on upper back ; remaining portions, with upper 
tail-coverts, ash, a few of the feathers tipped white ; tail grey ; 
breast and underparts of the bird are white with an orange tinge ; 
wing-coverts and some of the scapulary feathers, rich orange buff. 
(973) MERGELLUS ALBELLUS, The Smew. This species differs 
from Merganser. It has a shorter and wider bill, teeth prominent 
on lower mandible, tip less hooked. In size Albvellus, is much 
smaller, being about 16 inches long. Smew is rare in these parts. 
It is occasionally met with in the cold weather in the valleys. It 
has a bell-like call, which gets for it the name of Bell-duck in 
Northern Asia Colour of this bird, is a distribution of black and 
white ; the back, some of lesser wing-coverts and primaries are 
black ; secondaries and greater coverts black, tipped with white ; 
tail and its upper coverts bluish grey ; underparts are white, with 
black circular streaks. The Smew goes further a field, in its 
migrations, and is frequently met with on big rivers in the plains. 
It is found at times, in numbers on the Ganges, as far up the river 
as Delhi and the big towns on the banks. It feeds chiefly on fish, 
crustacea ete. 
Famity PODICIPIDA® ( Grebes) 
You must be familiar with the typically, lobed, looking feet of 
these birds, which the Coots (902—3) reminded us of. The feet 
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