WHISTLING SWAN. 297 



of the interior make much use of the down of the Swan as 

 a matter of decoration, in which taste they have also been very 

 successfully followed by civilized nations. Among the Ice- 

 landers, Swans are an object of chase in the moulting season, 

 which takes place in August, after rearing their young ; they 

 are pursued by dogs and on horseback, the animals being 

 purposely trained to pass nimbly over bogs and marshes. The 

 eggs in the spring, as well as the flesh in autumn, are in Ice- 

 land much used as food, and the feathers form an article of 

 trade. In Kamtschatka, where Swans likewise abound and 

 breed, they are taken and used in the same manner; their 

 food consists of aquatic plants and insects. 



The Whistling Swan, though commonly tamed and domesti- 

 cated in Russia, has not the grace and elegance of the Mute 

 species, as instead of the beautiful cur^^e of the neck it swims 

 with it erect. Its vocal organs are also remarkably assisted 

 by the elaborate structure of the trachea, which, instead of 

 passing on direct to the lungs, as in the Mute Swan, forms 

 two circumvolutions within the chest, like a trumpet, before 

 terminating in the respiratory organ ; and it is thus enabled 

 to utter a powerful and sonorous note. The common Tame 

 Swan, on the contrary, is the most silent of birds, being 

 unable to utter any louder noise than a hiss. This deficiency 

 of voice is, however, amply made up by beauty of form and 

 insinuating grace. Its pure, spotless, and splendid attire ; its 

 stately attitude; the ease and elegance with which, hke a 

 bark, it sits and moves majestically on the water, as if proud 

 and conscious of its beauty ; aiding its pompous progress by 

 gently raising its snow-white wings to catch the sportive breeze, 

 wherein it wantons with luxuriant ease, queen of its native 

 element, — in short, all conspires to shroud the Swan, however 

 mute, with its long acknowledged and classic perfection. And 

 as if aware of its high and ancient pretensions, it still, as in 

 former ages, frequents the now neglected streams of the Mean- 

 der and the Strymon; with an air of affected languor it is 

 yet seen silently sailing by the groves of Paphos, though no 

 longer cherished by its beauteous queen. 



