514 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 



SMEW, IMergus albellus. The small family of 

 Mergansers differ slightly from the true Ducks, 

 especially in the formation of the beak, which is 

 much narrower towards the point ; the upper man- 

 dible is much hooked at the point or nail ; the bill 

 is also thickly serrated or toothed like a saw, which 

 gives these birds a great facility in holding their 

 slippery prey. 



The present species, the Smew, the smallest 

 of the Mergansers, not being larger than a Wigeon, 

 is only an occasional winter visitor to our county, 

 as it seems to be generally to England, and of 

 these occasional visitors the young males of the 

 first year and the females are the most common ; 

 full plumaged old males may certainly be considered 

 very rare. Mr. Haddon has one beautiful specimen, 

 shot by himself on the river near Taunton. 



The Smew is not known to breed in any part of 

 Britain ; indeed very little seems to be known of its 

 breeding habits anywhere. Meyer, however, says 

 the nest is composed of dry grasses and lined with 

 feathers from the bird's own body, and that it is 

 either placed on the ground near water on some 

 Small island or in a hole in a tree. 



This bird is an expert diver, and in this manner 

 obtains most of its food, which consists of fish, 

 Crustacea, and small frogs, and but very rarely, 

 according to Meyer, of vegetable matter. It seems 

 to be rather a voracious feeder, for as many as five 



