428 LAMELLIilOSTEAL SWIMMERS — ANSERES. 



posed to live to a great age, and its tiesh becomes exceedingly tough and tasteless. 

 hi consequence of this, the more experienced hunters of the Chesapeake visually 

 allow the patriarchs of the flock, who lead in their flight, to pass iinharmed. These 

 old leaders have a note thought to resemble in a remarkable degree the sound of a 

 common tin horn ; and the unmusical character of their cries increases in intensity 

 with their age. 



In the autumn of 1829 the Avriter was, with another person, on Abby Island, when 

 seven Swans were approaching the Point in one line, and three others were a short 

 distance Ix'liind them. The small group endeavored to pass the larger, and as they 

 doubled the Point, at about sixty yards' distance, the three formed with the second 

 birds of the larger flock a square of less than three feet. At this moment both guns 

 were discharged and three Swans were killed, and the fourth so much injured that 

 it left the flock. These were all less than five years old, and averaged eighteen 

 pounds in weight. 



These Swans rarely, if ever, leave the open shores of the bay for the side streams, 

 and few, after their regular settlement, are found above Spesutic Island ; but they 

 are seen in flocks, varying from fifty to five hundred in number, along the western 

 shores as far down as the mouth of the Potomac. Since these observations were 

 made, however, the number of these birds frequenting that region has been greatly 

 reduced. 



During a still night a few Swans could often be seen asleep in the middle of the 

 bay, surrounded by a group of far more watchfid Geese ; and the writer from whose 

 account this information is derived was paddled, one morning at daybreak, within 

 ten feet of a sleeping Swan. The food to which this bird seems to be most partial 

 on the Chesapeake is the canvass-back grass, worms, insects, and small shellfish. It 

 rarely actually flies, even when pursued by a boat, unless very closely followed ; and 

 when it does rise, it is generally with a scream. On alighting in the water, particu- 

 larly if any other birds of the same species are near, there is usually an interchange 

 of noisy greetings. Even when one of the wings of this bird has been broken, it can 

 swim with great rapidity, and if not otherwise hurt a single oarsman is rarely able to 

 overtake it. 



Dr. Sharpless, of Philadelphia, states that he has known unwounded birds to 

 collect around a crippled companion and urge it to escape, pushing it forward and 

 placing themselves on each side, supporting the broken wing, and almost lifting the 

 object of their affectionate care out of the water. The same writer — probably also 

 the author of the article referred to as having appeared in " Doughty's Cabinet " — 

 furnished Mr. Audubon with a full account of the habits of this sjiecies, as observed 

 by him in winter, in the Avaters of the Chesapeake. He states that in its migrations 

 southward it collects in flocks of twenty or thirty, and moves only when the wind 

 is not op])osed to the direction of its flight. It mounts high in the air, forms an 

 elongated wedge, and utters loud screams as it departs, these cries being occasionally 

 repeated as the bird moves on its way. When flying, the wings seem almost without 

 movement, and their sweep is very unlike the semicircular movements of Geese. Dr. 

 Sharpless estimates that this bird travels at the rate of at least a hundred miles an 

 hour when at a high elevation and with a moderate wind in its favor. Its flight is 

 estimated to be twice as rapid as that of the Wild Goose. 



In travelling from its summer abode to its winter residence, this bird keeps far 

 inland, mounted above the higliest peaks of the Alleghany, and rarely follows the 

 watercourses. It usually arrives at its regular feeding-grounds at night, and signal- 

 izes its coming by loud and vociferous screaming, with which the shores ring for 



