Female and 
Young Males. 
Periodical 
Visitant. 
Nest, &c. 
386 ‘ NATATORES. MERGUS. SMEW. 
Mergus minutus, Linn. Syst. 1. 209. 6.—Lath. Ind. Orn. 2.‘ 832. sp. 7. 
Mergus Asiaticus, Gmel. Syst. 1. 548. 6. B. 
Merganser stellatus, Briss. Orn. 6. 252. 6. 
Merganser cristatus minor, Briss. Orn. 6. 243. 3. 
La Piette Femelle, Biff Pl. Enl. 450. 
Le Harle etoilé, Buff Ois. 8. 278. 
Weasel Coot, Albin’s Birds, 1. t. 88. 
Red-headed Smew, Br. Zool. 2. 263.—Bewick’s Br. Birds, 2. 666. 
Lough Diver, Penn. Br. Zool. 2. 560.—Arct. Zool. 2. 540.—Bewick’s Br. 
Birds, ed. 1826, p. 262. 
Minute Merganser, Lath. Syn. 6. 429. 6.—Lewin’s Br. Birds, 6. pl. 235. 
—Mont. Ornith. Dict. and Sup. 
Provincrat—Vare Wigeon, Magpie Diver. 
In severe winters the Smew is not uncommon in the east- 
ern and southern parts of England, where it is found on the 
coast, as well as upon the rivers farther inland, and pools of 
fresh-water in the fenny districts. In the northern counties 
it is always of rare occurrence, arising in all probability from 
the line of its migration from the northern parts of Europe 
and Asia being in parallels more to the eastward, as it is 
abundant in Germany, Holland, France, &c. The majority 
of such as visit our shores are females, or immature males in 
the similar plumage, and known by the name of the Lough 
Diver, or Red-headed Smew; the male, in his mature garb, 
being comparatively seldom met with. In New England, 
and some other districts of the United States, according to 
Wi11son, it is a common species during its winter migration ; 
and is then found, as with us, both upon the sea-coast, and 
the lakes and rivers of the interior. He does not, however, 
mention the parts of that continent to which it retires during 
the summer, nor did the bird come under the notice of Dr 
RicuHaRrpson in the course of his northern expeditions. In 
Europe it retires to high latitudes for the purpose of repro- 
duction; Iceland and Greenland being among the number ; 
and in Asia it is found in Siberia, Kamtschatka, &c.—It 
breeds upon the banks of lakes and rivers, and its eggs are 
stated to be of a yellowish-white, from eight to twelve in 
number. Like the others of its genus, it is an admirable 
diver, and has the power of remaining long beneath the sur- 
