Class II, W I L D S W A N. $63 



their quitting the ifland, they prefage good wea- 

 ther ; on their arrival, they announce bad. Thefe, 

 as well as moil other water fowl, prefer for the 

 purpofe of incubation thole places that are left: 

 frequented by mankind : accordingly we find that 

 the lakes and forefts of the diftant Lapland are rilled 

 during fummer with myriads of water fowl, and 

 there fwans, geefe, the cluck tribe, goofanders, 

 divers, &c. pafs that feafon ; but in autumn return 

 to us, and to other more hofpitable mores *. 



This fpecies is lefs than the tame fwan : length Descrip. 

 five feet to the end of the feet -, to that of the tail 

 four feet ten inches : extent of wing feven feet 

 three inches : weight from thirteen to fixteen 

 pounds. The lower part of the bill is black ; the 

 bafe of it, and the fpace between that and the eyes, 

 is covered with a naked yellow fkin ; the eyelids 

 are bare and yellow : the whole plumage in old 

 birds is of a pure white \ the down is very foft and 

 thick: tlie legs black. The cry of this kind is 

 very loud, and may be heard at a great diitance, 

 from which it is fometimes called the Hooper. 



* Flora Lapponica, 273. Oewvres de M. de Maupertuis. 

 Tom. III. p. 141, 175. According to the obfervation of 

 that illuftrious writer, the Lapland lakes are rilled with the 

 larva of the Knat (culex pipicns. Lin.fyjl. 602.) or fome 

 other infect, that depofites its eggjs in the water ; which being 

 an agreeable food to water fowl, is another caufe of their 

 rcfort to thofe deferts. 



Vol. II. P p Le 



