380 ANATID^E. 



was not observed by any of our Arctic travellers either 

 on the northern parts of the American continent or any 

 of the numerous islands, and there is reason to believe 

 that it is only an accidental straggler to the United States. 

 In this country it is well known on the east, south, and 

 west coats ; and Mr. W. Thompson mentions having seen 

 specimens from different parts of Ireland. East of our own 

 country the Smew is rather common in Holland and 

 Germany in winter, more rare in France, frequents also 

 the lakes of Switzerland ; and has been observed there as 

 late as May ; it visits also Provence and Italy, young 

 birds have been observed at Corfu and in Sicily. The 

 Smew has been found as far south as Tinos, in the Grecian 

 Archipelago. Mr. Strickland saw specimens at Smyrna 

 in winter. The Zoological Society have received speci- 

 mens, sent by Keith Abbott, Esq. from Trebizond ; and 

 the Russian naturalists include it in the catalogue of Birds 

 found in the country of the Caucasus. It has been ob- 

 tained in North- Western India, and at Calcutta. Finally, 

 M. Temminck remarks that specimens received from Japan 

 do not differ from those killed in Europe. 



In the adult male the bill is one inch and a half long, 

 and of a bluish-lead colour, the nail horny and white ; the 

 irides reddish-brown ; at the base of the bill on each side 

 a black patch, which just surrounds the eye ; from the 

 crown of the head down the line of the occiput, another 

 dark patch elongated, which is tinged with green, the dark 

 feathers mixed with others that are white, and all some- 

 what elongated forming a crest ; the other parts of the 

 head, the chin, and all the neck white ; the back black ; 

 rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail-feathers ash-grey ; the 

 point of the wing greyish-black, with two crescentric lines 

 of black pointing forward, one before and one behind the 



