THE SMEW. 397 



lakes, and estuaries than has been hitherto supposed, and may 

 have escaped detection by its dexterity in avoiding danger. 



Wilson states that this bird is usually known by the name 

 of the Butter Box, or Butter Ball, from the fat condition in 

 which it is often found. The following is his description of the 

 plumage of both sexes : " The male BufFel-headed Duck, or 

 rather, as it has originally been called, the Buffalo-headed Duck, 

 from the disproportionate size of its head, is fourteen inches long 

 and twenty-three inches in extent ; the bill is short, and of a light 

 blue or leaden colour; the plumage of the head and half of the 

 neck is thick, long, and velvety, projecting greatly over the lower 

 part of the neck; this plumage on the forehead and nape is rich 

 glossy green, changing into a shining purple on the crown and 

 sides of the neck; from, the eyes backward passes a broad band 

 of pure white; iris of the eye, dart; back, wings, and part of 

 the scapulars, black; rest of the scapulars, lateral band along the 

 wing, and whole breast, snowy white ; belly, vent, and tail coverts, 

 dusky white ; tail, pointed, and of a hoary colour. 



The female is considerably less than the male, and entirely 

 destitute of the tumid plumage of the head; the head, neck, and 

 upper parts of the body, and wings, are sooty black, darkest on 

 the crown; side of the head marked with a small oblong spot of 

 white ; bill, dusky ; lower part of the neck, ash, tipt with white ; 

 belly, dull white; vent, cinereous; outer edges of six of the 

 secondaries and their incumbent coverts, white, except the tips 

 of the latter, which are black; legs and feet a livid blue; tail, 

 hoary brown; length of the intestines three feet six inches; 

 stomach filled with small shell-fish. 



THE SMEW. 



MERGUS ALBELLUS. 



THE Smew is a winter straggler to western Scotland, and is found 

 only at irregular intervals. It has been shot repeatedly on Loch 

 Lomond, and Mr Elwes informs me that in Islay it is a very rare 

 winter visitor. In the southern counties it has occurred in Kirk- 

 cudbrightshire, Dumfriesshire, and Wigtownshire. A male was 

 killed on Castle Kennedy Loch, near Stranraer, in March, 1855, 

 as I have been informed by the Rev. G. Wilson, Glenluce. It may 



