612 
THE SMEW. 
velvety, like the other “Coots,” but it has no white, excepting a square patch on the nape, 
and on the crown. The bill is beautifully variegated with vermilion, orange shading to lemon, 
and a delicate blue with a spot of black in its midst. Fresh specimens of these birds, as w T ell 
as the Scoters, are delightful objects. The female is a uniform plain umber-brown ; bill the 
same. Sexes are about alike in size. It is a common winter resident in the Middle States, 
arriving late in September. A few are said to remain all summer around Falkner’s Island, 
Connecticut coast. 
Ruddy Duck ( Grismatura rubida). It inhabits North America at large, southward to 
Guatemala, where it breeds. It also inhabits Cuba in the season. In the Missouri region it 
occurs during the migrating season, and breeds in the same limits. During Audubon’s day 
this Duck was abundant on the New England coast, and as far south as Florida. It accom- 
panies several other birds in its migrations. It is a small bird, measuring fourteen and three- 
quarter inches in length. The female is about the same in size, and is very plain in color, 
differing greatly in this respect from the male. Giraud says it is rare in the vicinity of Long 
Island, though in Massachusetts Bay and Chesapeake Bay it is common, where it is called 
Salt-water Teal. 
A Duck, named Black-masked Duck ( Nomonyx dominions), is enumerated as a North 
American species by Ridgway. 
The Racehokse, or Steamer Duck {Micropterus brachypterus ), is a very remarkable 
species, having very short wings, so that it cannot iiy, and legs so formed that it scuds over 
and drives through the water with amazing speed. While passing over the surface it sends 
the water Hying behind it like a paddle- steamer, and has thereby earned its name. It is a 
very large species, 
forty inches in 
length, and its color 
is leaden-gray above, 
and white below. It 
is found in the Falk- 
land Islands and 
Patagonia. 
Want of space 
compels us to omit 
the Scoter Ducks 
( Oidemia ), and to 
pass at once to the 
next sub - family, 
represented by two 
species. 
The Goosander 
is one of the winter 
visitors of the north, 
making its appear- 
ance about Novem- 
ber, and departing 
in March. Some few birds, however, remain throughout the year. It is generally to be found 
on the northern coasts, where it may be observed diving after fish with great address, and 
bringing them to the surface in its long, slender, deeply -notched beak, which is so plentifully 
provided with so-called teeth, that the bird in some places goes by the name of J acksaw. 
The pretty little Smew is another of the winter visitors of the temperate climates of 
Europe, and is a very common bird, being found not only upon the sea-shore, but frequenting 
inland lakes and ponds. 
GOOSANDER . — Mergus merganser. 
