THE SMEW. 



123 



visitant to Ireland, though not nearly so scarce as 

 the last named. In the north of Ireland it is not 

 rare in the immature stage. A few years ago I 

 obtained a young male and female near the entrance 

 to the Kenmare estuary, from a local fowler who had 

 just shot them. A pair in perfect plumage were shot 

 in Tralee Bay, and are in Mr. Nelligan's collection 

 at Tralee. The fowlers of Wexford, and the north 

 and north-eastern coastmen, have described the 



THE SMEW. 



Smew to me as well known to them in past years 

 by the name of " White Wigeon ; " it is also called 

 " Weasel Wigeon," from some supposed resem- 

 blance to that animal about the head, which in the 

 female is very small, and coloured like a Weasel. 

 It is not so unfrequent in the extreme north of 

 Ireland, and there is a fine series of native-killed 

 specimens in the Dublin Museum. Within the last 



