THE WHISTLING SWAN. 



839 



if there is room enough, ti) (hstaiice pursuit by swimming. Because the 

 neck of the Swan is so long and hung at the water-line, the bird can explore 

 the bottom freely in shallow waters in its search for roots and molluscs, 

 without making an\' ungainlx' motions with the body. Indeed, there is a 

 peculiar disconnectedness between the operations of the Swan proper and 

 its far-reaching head, — as tho here were a white boat serenely floating at 

 anchor, from the liow of which now and then a diver is sent down to grapple 

 for hidden treasure. All the bird's motions above water are graceful enough, 

 except in case r)f anxious in(|uiry. when the neck is stretched to its utmost, 

 perpendicularly, as it pauses in dread ex]iectancy, and the bird looks like a 



Plioto by the Author. 



LAKE CHEL.\X. 



AN ANCIENT HAUNT OF THE WILD SWAN. 



white eighth-note i:)f the musical scale, set upon a staff of widening ripples. 

 Ashore, its gait is a rather ungainly waddle, the foot being folded and lifted 

 unco high at every step. 



The ^^'histling S\ian is a nois_\- bird at best. A flock of them exhibit 

 great individual variations of notes, and they can create a chorus which is 

 mildly worse than that of a political jollification meeting. The Iiass horns, 

 of tin rather than brass, are blown by the old fellows, while the \aried notes 

 which seem to come from clarionets, are reallv due to cvgnets. The birds set 

 up a great outcry when they have done anything, or are about to do anything, 

 important, as when preparing for the flight northward, or when welcoming 

 a company of their fellows to the feeding grounds. 



The \\'histling Swan has imd()ubtedl\- nested in Washinston in some 



