'336 NATATORES. MERGUS. SMEW. 



Mergus minutus, Linn. Syst. 1. 209. 6 Lath. Ind. Orn. 2.'' 832. sp. T. 



Mergus Asiaticus, Gmel Syst. 1. 548. 6. B. 



Merganser stellatus, Briss. Orn. 6. 252. 6. 



Merganser cristatus minor, Briss. Orn. 6. 243. 3. 



La Piette Femelle, Buff. PL Enl. 450. 

 Female and Le Harle etoile, Buff. Ois. 8. 278. 

 Young Males. { Weasel Cooti Albin's Birds, 1. t. 88. 



Red-headed Smew, Br. Zool. 2. 263. Bewick's Br. Birds, 2. 666. 



Lough Diver, Penn. Br. Zool. 2. 560 Arct. ZooL 2. 540 Bewick's Br. 



Birds, ed. 1826, p. 262. 



Minute Merganser, Lath. Syn. 6. 429. 6 Levin's Br. Birds, 6. pi. 235. 



Mont. Ornith. Diet, and Sup. 



PROVINCIAL Vare Wigeon, Magpie Diver. 



Periodical IN severe winters the Smew is not uncommon in the east- 

 ern and southern parts of England, where it is found on the 

 coast, as well as upon the rivers farther inland, and pools of 

 fresh- water in the fenny districts. In the northern counties 

 it is always of rare occurrence, arising in all probability from 

 the line of its migration from the northern parts of Europe 

 and Asia being in parallels more to the eastward, as it is 

 abundant in Germany, Holland, France, &c. The majority 

 of such as visit our shores are females, or immature males in 

 the similar plumage, and known by the name of the Lough 

 Diver, or Red-headed Smew ; the male, in his mature garb, 

 being comparatively seldom met with. In New England, 

 and some other districts of the United States, according to 

 WILSON, it is a common species during its winter migration ; 

 and is then found, as with us, both upon the sea-coast, and 

 the lakes and rivers of the interior. He does not, however, 

 mention the parts of that continent to which it retires during 

 the summer, nor did the bird come under the notice of Dr 

 RICHARDSON in the course of his northern expeditions. In 

 Europe it retires to high latitudes for the purpose of repro- 

 duction ; Iceland and Greenland being among the number ; 

 and in Asia it is found in Siberia, Kamtschatka, &c. It 



Nest, &c. breeds upon the banks of lakes and rivers, and its eggs are 

 stated to be of a yellowish-white, from eight to twelve in 

 number. Like the others of its genus, it is an admirable 

 diver, and has the power of remaining long beneath the sur- 



