ANATID-E. 



501 



in his favour, and mounted liigli in the air, travels 

 at the rate of 100 miles or more in an hour. I 

 have often timed the flight of the Goose, and found 

 one mile a minute a common rapidity ; and when 

 the two birds, in a change of feeding-ground, have 

 been flying near each other, the Swan invariably 

 passed with nearly double the velocity/^ — (LloijJ/s 

 "Scancl. Advent.'^) 



The typical species, — 



The Mute Swan {Gygnus Olor), so called from its pos- 

 sessing only a soft and rather musical voice, very different 

 from the harsh notes of the Wild Swan, is the well-known 

 and graceful species so often seen adorning with its wliite 

 plumage and elegant form the surface of our lakes, rivers, 

 and ornamental waters. It is the only species which 

 pei-manent]y resides m this country, where, however, it 

 is generally met with in a half domesticated condition. 

 During the breeding season Swans live in pairs, each 

 pair keeping to its own locality. At this time the male 

 becomes exceedingly fierce, attacking any animal that 

 intrudes upon his domains. The nest is formed of a 

 mass of reeds, rushes, and other plants, and is placed 

 close to the edge of the water, or amongst the plants 

 growing upon some small bank which is hardly above 

 the surface. The male is very attentive to his mate, 

 assists her in making the nest, and when a sudden rise 

 of the river renders such a step necessary, joins her with 

 great assiduity in raising their cradle sufiieiently high 

 to prevent the eggs from bemg chilled by contact with 

 the water. In this proceeding they sometimes exhibit 

 a very remarkable degree of foresight. A female Swan, 

 who had constructed her nest on the river at Bishop's 

 Stortford, was sitting on four or five eggs, and was 

 observed to be very busy in collecting weeds, grasses, 

 and such-like materials ; a farming man was ordered to 

 take down half a load of haulm, with which she most 

 industriously raised her nest and the eggs two feet and 

 a half : that very night there came down a tremendous 

 fall of rain, which flooded the country and did great 

 damage. Man made no preparation, the bird did. In- 

 stinct showed itself a faithful guardian ; the Swans eggs 

 were above, and only just above, the water. In localities 

 z 3 



