208 



bluish colour, speckled with purplish red. It is 

 easily tamed, and, like the Goldfinch, may be 

 taught a variety of tricks. In a confined state it 

 readily breeds with the Canary. 



SMEW. 



MERGTJS ALBELLUS, Lin. 



The Smew, which is a native of the Arctic 

 regions of both continents, and which passes the 

 summer in the colder regions, retires southwards 

 in the end of October, and visits the southern parts 

 of England in moderate numbers, but is rarely met 

 with in Scotland. Its flight is quick and direct, 

 but it walks with difficulty. It feeds on mall fish, 

 Crustacea, and aquatic insects, and is an excellent 

 diver. It constructs a rather bulky nest, which it 

 lines with down. It lays seven or eight cream- 

 coloured eggs, specimens of which have been 

 obtained in I celand. Young birds, frequently called 

 Eed-headed Smews, are much more commonly taken 

 than old males. 



SNIPE, BEOWN. 



RED-BREASTED SNIPE. 



SCOLOPAX GRISEA, Penn. 



This species is extremely abundant on the coasts, 

 of the United States of America, where it is found 



