( n ) 



ORD. III. GEN. VIII. MERGANSER. 



SPE. V. MINUTE MERGANSER. 



PI. 236. 



Mergus minutus. Lin. Syft. I. p. 209. 



Le petit harle huppe (femelle). Brif. Orn. VI. p. 243- 



This bird weighs barely one pound ; is in length only fixteen inches, in 

 breadth twenty-two. The bill is dufky, (lender, and two inches long. The 

 head is flightly crefted, and of a chefnut brown : the back of the neck is nearly 

 of the fame colour : at the bafe of the beak is a black fpot, extending round 

 the eye : throat white : fore part of the neck, and breaft, afh-colour : belly, 

 white : back, bright brown : at the fetting on the wing is a large white patch : 

 fecondaries, and lefs quill feathers, brownifh black, tipped with white : quill 

 feathers, and tail, browniih black : tail coverts, and vent, light afh-colour : 

 legs, lead colour. 



It is a winter refident with us, and retires to the northern parts of Scotland 



to breed. 



Briflbn rriakes this bird the female of the fmew; Mr. Pennant feems inclined 



to entertain a fimilar opinion; and a later author, Mr. Bechftein of Germany, 



fays, that it is now known to be nothing but a young female of the fmew. 



Mr. Bechftein, however, does not give us his authority for this aflertion. 



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