224 BRITISH SEA BIRDS. 



of the east coast " Red-headed Smews." Unfortu- 

 nately, the male Smew is a bird that does not 

 approach the coast much, and the female, from her 

 duller colouration and small size, is readily over- 

 looked. Lastly, it is the least maritime of the 

 family. The male Smee or Smew, in nuptial 

 plumage, is black and white some of the former 

 colour displayed in curious crescentic markings on 

 the shoulders and in front of the wings, the elon- 

 gated crest is pearly white, emphasised by greenish 

 black, and the flanks are finely vermiculated with 

 gray. The female has the head reddish -brown. 

 During winter the Smew is gregarious, living in 

 flocks of thirty or forty individuals, mostly imma- 

 ture. It prefers the more open water at some 

 distance from shore, seeking to evade pursuit by 

 swimming, but, if fired at, diving at once and re- 

 appearing far out of danger. When feeding most 

 of the birds dive at once, rising in scattered order, 

 but soon bunching together as each bird swims to 

 a central rallying point. The Smew does not visit 

 the land much, and even sleeps upon the water. 

 It is a most accomplished diver, descending to great 

 depths, and using its wings to assist it through the 

 water, which it traverses with as much ease as a 

 Cormorant or an Auk. Upon our coasts its food 

 consists principally of small fishes and crustaceans. 

 Its note is a harsh kurr, but at its breeding grounds 

 it is said to utter a bell-like call, hence in Northern 

 Asia it has been called the " Bell Duck." 



