358 



BRITISH BIRDS. 



THE SMEW. 



FEMALE. 



THE bill from the tip to the brow is little more 

 than an inch ; head and hinder part of the neck 

 rusty chesnut ; upper part, and sides of the breast, 

 to the wings, darkish ash, tipped with grey ; 

 shoulders and upper part of the back clouded 

 with dusky and grey ; lower part dusky towards 

 the rump, and tipped with a lighter colour. The 

 lesser coverts are white, with black and white 

 tips, the greater the same, forming two bars across 

 the wing; the tail consists of sixteen dark hoary 

 grey feathers; scapulars ash-grey; sides ash; belly 

 and vent white. 



In January, 1820, during a severe frost, three of 

 these birds made their appearance on the River 

 Tyne, and were all killed at one shot ; they were 

 nearly alike. This figure was drawn from one 

 of them, after it had been stuffed. 



