178 



MERGUS ALBELLUS. 



Mer. Mas. — Supra albus, genia et occipite atria : capite cristate 

 Mer, Fem. — Subtus alba, genis et occipite runs: capite vi\ cristato. 



WHITE SMEW. 



Male mer. above white, with the cheeks and occiput black ; head crested. 



Fem. mer. below white, with the cheeks and occiput red ; the head slightly crested. 



IN. IN. 



Length 17 Outer toe 2 



Bill If Middle toe 2| 



Tarsi 1^ Inner toe If. 



Male : above and below white, with a large patch on each side of the head, and another one 

 down the back of the neck, black ; crest white; on the upper part of the breast on each side a bar 

 of black, not meeting in front; coverts, primaries, and secondaries black; scapulars white, edged on 

 their outer webs with black ; tail, rump, and upper tail coverts grey ; bill and legs lead coloured. 



Fem. : throat, neck, belly, and abdomen white ; the bi-east, back, tail, and upper tail coverts 

 ash coloured ; wings grey, with the outer webs of the scapulars white. 



Young similar to the female. 



Mergus aJhellus Linn. Syst. 1 . 209. 



Gmel. Syst. I. 517. 



Lath. Ind. Orn. 2. 831. 



Steph. Sh. Zonl. 12. 157. 



7/'i/s. Am. Orn. 8. 136. pi. 71, fit/. ', 

 Mergus minutus Linn. S//st. 1 . 209. 



Lath. Ind. Orn. 2. 832. 



Mergus Asiaticus Gmel. Syst. 1 . 548. 



stellatus Briss. Orn. 6. 252. pi. 0. 



Smew Perm. Arct. Zool. 2. 559. 



Lath. Gen. Syn. G. 128. 



Blue merganser Pen//. Arct. Zool. 2. Sup. 71. 



Le petit harle oh lapiette Bntf. Ois. 8. 275. 



Lepiette Feill. En. Method. Orn. 1 . 104. 



Le harle ctoile Puff- Ois. 8. 278. 



Peill. En. Method. Orn. 1. 105. 

 Trachea , Linn. Trans, ml. 4, tab. 10, Jig. 3 — 4. 



Found in Europe, America, and Asia, but does not migrate far southwards ; breeds in Siberia, 

 Kamschatka, Greenland, and Iceland, generally on the banks of fresh water rivers or lakes, laying 

 from ten to twelve yellowish eggs. The female and young of this species may be distinguished 

 from those of the hooded merganser by the shortness and stoutness of the bill, and by the serratures 

 not being pointed backwards, and more resembling the lamellae of the true ducks. The tube of the 

 trachea has one enlargement towards the middle, and continues of large diameter to the inferior 

 larynx, which differs in form from that of the other mergansers, the greatest diameter being trans- 

 vise instead of vertical; in other respects it is similar. 



