X 



THE SMEW. 



Ifergus albellus. 



HE Sniew, or, as it is fre- 

 quently called, the Srnee, is 

 a bij-d of handsome ap- 

 pearaiiee, the plumage con- 

 sisting- of striking contrasts, 

 and the head ornamented 

 with a plume. It is about 

 the size of the Wio-eon. 



Smews are winter visitors 

 only, and their numbers vary 

 very considerably. In some 

 winters they are scarce in the 

 extreme, whilst in others they 

 are met with in comparative 

 freqiiency. Under all cir- 

 cumstances, however, the 

 specimens most commonly 

 procurable are the females 

 and young males, and the 

 latter are generally known as 

 " Red Headed Smews.'' 



In addition to the sea-coast 

 these birds resort to most 

 of the slow muddv rivers. 



