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SMEW OR WHITE NUN. 
MerGus ALBELLUSs, Linn. 
PLATE CCCXLVII. Mate anp Femate. 
‘The Smew is a bird of extremely rare occurrence in the United 
States, insomuch that it must be considered merely as a transient or 
accidental visitor. Indeed I have felt strong misgivings on reading 
Witson’s article on this species, and cannot but think that he is mis- 
taken when he states that it “is much more common on the coast of 
New England than farther soutb,” and again “ In the ponds of New 
England, and some of the lakes in the State of New York, where the 
Smew is frequently observed—.” Now, although I have made di- 
ligent inquiry, not only in New England, but in every part of our coun- 
try where I thought it likely that the Smew might occur, I have not 
met with any person well acquainted with birds of this family, who has 
seen it. Whutson, in short, was in all probability misinformed, and it 
is my opinion that his figure was made from a stuffed European speci- 
men which was then in Peale’s Museum in Philadelphia, and that he 
had taken the Buffel-headed Duck, seen at a distance, for this species, 
as I am aware has been the case with other individuals. 
The only specimen procured by me was shot by myself on Lake 
Barataria, not far from New Orleans, in the winter of 1819. It was an 
adult female in fine plumage. How it had wandered so far south is an 
enigma to me ; but having found it, and made a drawing of it on the spot, 
I have taken the liberty to add one of the other sex from an equally 
fine specimen. After all, the Smew can scarcely be considered as 
belonging to the American Fauna, any more than our Fork-tailed Hawk 
can with propriety be calied a denizen of England; and in this I am 
supported by all the great navigators of our Arctic Seas, such as Ross, 
Parry, and Franktin, none of whom, nor any of their companions, 
ever met with a single individual of this beautiful bird. 
