The Wild Swan.] OP OIIKNEY. 133 



GENUS XXXIII.—BV CKS. 



Gen. Char. — Bill strong, broad, flat, or depressed, and commonly furnished at the 

 end with a nail, edges marked with sharp lamellae ; nostrils small, oval ; tongue 

 broad, edged near the base, fringed ; feet, middle toe longest. 



Species 1. — The Wild Swan. 



Wild Swan, Elk, or Hooper, Wil. Orn. 356. Rati Syn. Jv. 136. Anas Cyg- 

 nus ferus, 194. Brit. Zool. 440. Sib. Scot. 21. 



The Wild Swan is found at all seasons in Orkney; a few 

 pairs build in the holms of the loch of Stenness. Here, in 

 that fine piece of water, — 



• The stately sailing swan 



Gives out his snowy plumage to the gale; 

 And arching proud his neck, with oary feet, 

 Bears forwards fierce. 



But, alas for the taste of our Orcadians ! he cannot 



Guard his osier isle, 



Protective of his young. 



But the few that build here never increase; are always rob- 

 bed by the country people. These, however, are nothing to 



