File:Birds of Britain (1907) (14775302753).jpg

Identifier: birdsofbritain00bonh (find matches)
Title: Birds of Britain
Year: 1907 (1900s)
Authors: Bonhote, J. Lewis (John Lewis), 1875-1922 Dresser, Henry Eeles, 1838-1915
Subjects: Birds -- Great Britain
Publisher: London, A. and C. Black
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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Text Appearing Before Image:
patch is white, barred withblack, and on the breast at the point of the wing there is aconspicuous tuft of white feathers, with black margins; thelong falcated inner scapulars are black. The female has adistinct black bar across the wing patch, but in otherrespects, except size, closely resembles the Duck Goosander.Length 24 in.; wing 9*5 in. THE SMEW Mergus albellus, Linnaeus This species, the smallest and scarcest of the Sawbills,only comes to us in the winter, its breeding haunts beingnear the limit of tree growth throughout Northern Europe.It may be found on inland rivers and lakes, as well as insheltered bays and estuaries on the coast. Immatureexamples with a red head, known as Eed-headed Smews,far out-number the adults, and old males in full plumageare rarely seen. This is one of the species that occupies the boxes inSweden and Lapland, and the discovery of its eggs, fifty yearsago, was due to the energy and perseverance of an English- 266 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERMergifs serrator
Text Appearing After Image:
The Smew man, John Wolley, who, after four years search, succeededin obtaining three eggs together with a sitting bird. Theeggs are cream coloured and not unlike those of the Wigeon,but they are slightly smaller. The adult male is entirely white, except for the mantleand quills, which are jet black. The rump, upper tail coverts,and tail are bluish grey, and the flanks delicately vermic-ulated with the same colour. Stretching half-way acrossthe breast is a narrow black bar, and a shorter but broaderone starts a little farther back. There is a black patchbetween the bill and the eye on each side, and another highup on the occiput joining its fellow on the opposite side,this black crescent being broken by the overlapping of theslightly elongated feathers of the head. The eclipse plumage somewhat resembles that of theimmature male, from which it may always be distinguishedby the mantle remaining black. The female is smaller;head and neck reddish brown; remainder of upper parts andbreast a

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