156 



MERGUS. SMEW. 



Generic Character. 



Rostrum capita brevior, rec- 

 tum, gracile, subcylindri- 

 cum ; mandibula superiore 

 apice valde curvato, ungui- 

 culato. 



Nares laterales, subovales, 

 versus medium rostri po- 

 sitae. 



Pedes breves, digitus exter- 

 nus reliquis longior. 



Beak shorter than the head, 

 straight, slender, some- 

 what cylindric ; the upper 

 mandible much curved at 

 its tip, and hooked. 



Nostrils lateral, suboval, 

 placed towards the middle 

 of the beak. 



Leg-s short, the outer toe 

 longer than the rest. 



MERGUS. Ray, Linn., Gmel., Briss., &c. 

 MERGANSER. Briss. 



1 HE chief distinction between this genus and the 

 following consists in the inferior length of the beak, 

 which in the Smew is considerably shorter than the 

 head ; whereas in the Merganser it is as long, or 

 longer than that part. The separation of this genus 

 from the Mergansers will no doubt be considered by 

 the disciples of the Linnean school as an unnecessary 

 innovation ; but to me there appears to be sufficient 

 reason for dividing it from the following genus, as 

 pointed out by the inferior size of the beak, and the 



