February 



long, the fore part of the face is red about the 

 bill, and the rest of the head pure black and 

 white, the breast white, with a tinge of soft 

 brown on each side, and the dark wings con- 

 spicuously striped with yellow. They are not 

 yet in song, but their call-note has the same sad 

 quality found in the American species (hence 

 the specific name of the latter, tristis). The 

 red mask, the abrupt black and white of the 

 head, and the yellow wing-bars give a striking 

 appearance to this dainty specimen. Its winter 

 and summer plumage are the same ; whereas its 

 American congener, in its sober winter garb of 

 chocolate-brown, would never be recognized by 

 those who only know of its bright yellow dress 

 donned in April, The European species is the 

 more abundant hereabouts this winter, although 

 not hardier than the other. 



The 'Mive stock" of the Park, consisting 

 chiefly of swans, ducks, and geese, are wintered 

 in a small basin at the end of the lake. It is 

 amusing, on a breezy day, to see half a dozen 

 swans floating, with heads laid back under the 

 wing, doubtless asleep, and drifting about in 

 the wind, like so many dismasted yachts. I 

 have never been so struck with the fact that 

 the effect of any object depends so largely upon 

 6i 



