80 ADVENTURES AMONG BIRDS 



Another even stranger case must be told in con- 

 clusion — the sad case of a lonely swan in search of a 

 friend, and as it is a story of the "incredible" sort 

 I am glad I have permission to give the names of the 

 persons who witnessed the affair. The place is Little 

 Chelmsford Hall, near Chelmsford, and the witnesses 

 are Lady Pennefather and her friend Miss Guinness 

 who resides with her. Near the house there is an 

 artificial lake of considerable length, fed by a stream 

 which flows into the grounds on one side and out at 

 the other. Lake and stream are stocked with trout. 

 A pair of swans are kept on the lake and three or four 

 years ago they reared a single young one, which after 

 some months when it was fully grown they began to 

 persecute. The young swan, however, could not en- 

 dure to be alone, and although driven furiously off 

 to a distance a hundred times a day he would still 

 return. Eventually he was punished so mercilessly 

 that he gave it up and went right away to the further 

 end of the lake and made that part his home. About 

 this time Miss Guinness started making a series of 

 water-colour sketches at that end of the lake, and 

 her presence was a happiness to the swan. Invariably 

 on her appearance he would start swimming rapidly 

 towards her, then leaving the water he would follow 

 her about until she sat down to do a sketch, where- 

 upon the swan would settle itself by her side to stay 

 contentedly with her until she finished. This went 

 on for five or six weeks till the sketching was done 

 and Miss Guinness went away on a visit. Again the 

 poor bird was alone and miserable until a man was 



