338 MERGUS 



It affects fresh water arid only visits the sea-coasts in winter 

 when ^driven by stress of weather from its usual haunts. It 

 nests m hollow trees usually at a considerable height above the 

 ground, and lines the cavity with dry grass, leaves, and plenty of 

 down. The eggs, 5 to 8 in number, are usually deposited in 

 May, and are very round, the shell being remarkably thick and 

 smooth, in colour creamy white, and in size measuring about 

 2-1 by 176. 



881. SMEW. 

 MERGUS ALBELLUS. 



Mergus albellus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 209 (1766) ; Wils. Am. Orn. viii. 

 p. 126, pi. 71 ; Naum. xii. p. 314, Taf. 324 ; Audubon, B. Am. vi. 

 p. 408, pi. 414 ; Gould, B. of E. v. pi. 387 ; id. B. of Gt. Brit. v. 

 pi. 37 ; Dresser, vi. p. 699, pis. 454, 455 ; Salvador!, Cat. B. Br. 

 Hue. xxvii. p. 464 ; Tacz. F. 0. Sib. 0. p. 1208 ; Blanf. F. Brit. Ind. 

 Birds, iv. p. 467 ; Seebolim, B. Jap. Emp. p. 259 ; Saunders, p. 475 ; 

 Lilford, vii. p. 141 ; pi. 60 ; Kidgway, p. 90. 



Petit Harle huppd, French ; Pesciajola, Ital. ; Kleiner Sdger, 

 German ; Nonnetje, Dutch ; Hvid-skallesluger, Nonne, Dan. ; 

 Hvid-JFisJcand, Norw. ; Salskrcike, Swed. ; Uinelo, Ungilo^ Herna 

 Finn. ; Lutok, Pagarika, Russ. ; Nihcnna, Hindu. ; Miko-aisa 

 Jap. 



( ad. (Holland). General plumage white except as follows : lores and 

 a large patch round the eye, a nuchal patch, middle of the back, a narrow 

 line on the upper breast and a mark close to the base of the wing on the 

 sides deep black ; primaries blackish ; secondaries, except the inner ones 

 andprimary coverts black, tipped with white; scapulars tipped with 

 black ; rump blackish ; upper tail-coverts greyish brown, tipped with dull 

 white ; flanks vermiculated with black ; bill and legs pale plumbeous, the 

 nail paler ; iris silvery white. Ctilmen T25, wing7'6, tail 3'8, tarsus 1-3 

 inch. The female has the crown, nape, and hind neck reddish brown ; 

 lores and space round the eye dark brown ; upper parts brown, greyish on 

 the upper back ; lower parts white, the upper breast washed with slate- 

 grey ; wings duller than in the male ; flanks washed with greyish brown. 

 In the summer the male resembles the female but has the upper parts 

 darker ; the facial patch, and the semilunar mark on the sides of the breast 

 black. 



Hal. North Europe and Asia, north into Finnish Lapland 

 and Kamchatka, in winter ranging south to Britain and the 

 coasts of Europe to the Mediterranean, and in Asia to Japan, 

 Corea, China, and India ; of rare and occasional occurrence in 

 North-east America. 



