122 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 



state game warden, Charles S. Pierce, who Idndly gave two to the Agricul- 

 tural College and two to the University of Michigan, and they are now on 

 exhibition in the museums of these institutions. 



Kumlien and HoUister say "During late fall, just before the larger lakes 

 freeze over, this species is not at all rare in suitable localities" (Birds of 

 Wisconsin, 1903, p. 31). Butler says " Formerly when these birds were more 

 abundant they migrated in flocks of 20 or 30, and sometimes as many as 

 50, high in the air, in two converging lines like a flock of Canada Geese. 

 It is said that there is not the noticeable movement of the wings as with 

 geese, yet when travehng at their ordinary gait, with the wind in their 

 favor, it is estimated that they travel at least 100 miles an hour" (Birds 

 of Indiana, 1897, p. 640-641). This estimate of their speed is doubtless 

 much too high, probably 50 miles an hour would be nearer the truth. 



It was this species of swan which was killed in large numbers at Niagara 

 Falls about the middle of March, 1908, as noted in the newspapers and de- 

 scribed in greater detail in some of the scientific journals. Large flocks 

 alighted in the Niagara River above the falls and on two or three different 

 days numbers were swept over the brink into the seething water and grind- 

 ing ice below and were either killed outright or were so crippled as to be 

 easily captured by hunters on the watch for them. On March 15 not less 

 than 100 swans were thus killed (Auk, XXV, 1908, 306-309.) 



The Whisthng Swan breeds in the Arctic or Sub-Arctic regions, the nest 

 being a mere heap of vegetable rubbish on the ground; the eggs, 2 to 5, 

 are white or buffy- white, averaging 4.19 by 2.72 inches. 



TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 



Hinder end of nostril nearer to the tip of the bill than to the corner of the eye, that is, 

 usually nearer to the tip of the bill than the base, tail-feathers 20. Adult: Entire 

 plumage pure white, the bill and feet black, a distinct yellowish spot on or near the base of 

 the upper mandible; iris brown. Young: Ashy or brownish ashy, the bill largely flesh 

 color and the feet grayish or whitish. 



Length about 4^ feet; wing 21 to 22 inches; culmen 3.80 to 4.20; tarsus 4 to 4.32. 



65. Trumpeter Swan. Olor buccinator (Rich.). (181) 

 Synonyms: Cygnus buccinator, Rich., 1831, Nutt., Aud., and authors generally. 

 May be separated from the preceding, which it resembles, by three points, 

 viz., much larger size; bill and lores entirely black in adult; nostrils placed 

 midway between tip of bill and eye, or nearer the eye. In the Whisthng 

 Swan, according to Ridgway, the nostril is nearer to the tip of the bill 

 than to the eye, and this point holds good at any age after the young are 

 able to fly. 



According to Eaton the Whistling Swan is distinguished from the 

 Trumpeter Swan by its smaller size, 20 instead of 24 tail-feathers, yellow 

 or yellowish spot on the side of the bill, and particularly by the different 

 shape and dimensions of the bill (Birds of New York, Vol. 1, 1909, pp. 

 236-237). The difference in the bills most easily recognized is the fact that 

 in the Trumpeter Swan the sides of the upper mandible are approximately 

 parallel from base almost to tip, while in the Whistling Swan the bilHs 

 somewhat spatulate, that is, narrower in the middle than towards the tip. 

 There are also anatomical differences, particularly in the manner in which 

 the windpipe (trachea) is coiled or convoluted in the breast bone or sternum. 

 This point, however, can be determined only by dissection. Eaton claims 



