840 THE TRL'MI'E'J'KR SWAX. 



nuiiibcTS and possilily do'-'s so yet. ll lia> l)een rc])(irtt'(l lo nie as breeding on 

 tlie shores of llie Oniacne Lake in Ferry Ciiunt\ , and in May, 1906, we found 

 a nest on a ink- tussock of Moses Lake, wliich we tliought niiglit liave been 

 occupied earlier in tlie season. The nest is always made near water, and con- 

 sists of a large accumulation of grass, leaves, tule stems, and trash, with a 

 plentiful lining of down from the bird's breast. From two to seven large 

 yellowish white eggs are laid earl\- in March ( ?), and the female is obliged 

 to cover them for a matter of forty dax's. Both parents are exceedingly 

 zealous in defense of their )-()ung, and a sitting Swan will sooner fly at an 

 intruder in a passion, than away from him in fear. A stroke of a Swan's 

 wing has been known to break a poacher's leg. 



How anv one nowadays can be so bereft of reason as U> wish to destroy 

 forever this \'anishing vision of beauty, it is impossible to conceive. Its flesh 

 is edible, but so, unquestionably, is human flesh, the eating of which our an- 

 cestors discontinued some time since. Yet within the vear a local sportsmen's 

 rexiew had to re])i)rt the killing of five Swans by a single indi\-idual in one wild 

 lustful hour. Did \ou ever see a wild Swan? No: ten to one you never did! 

 Ask this slaver of virgins, this \aliant put-hunter, this cave-dweller, this ch;ir- 

 coal sketch nf a man. wh\' v<iu lia\e Udt ;ind sliall nnt. 



No. 3^0. 



TRUMPETER SWAN. 



A. O. U. No. 181. Olor buccinator (Rich.). 



Description. — Similar to preceding species, but larger: hill and lores entircK- 

 black. Length 60.00-66.00 ( 1524-1676.4) : extent about 8 feet: wing 24.00 

 (609.6) : tail 9.00 ( 228.6) : Ijill 4.50 ( 1 14.3 ) : tarsus 4.40 ( 1 1 1.8 ) : middle toe and 

 claw 6.00 (152.4). 



Recognition Marks. — .-\s in preceding species. Distinguished from it by 

 absence of yellow on lore, and by nostril in basal half of bill. 



Nesting. — Like that of preceding species, but eggs a little larger. Av. size, 

 4.46x2.92 ( T 13.3 X 74.2 ). Not known to breed in \\'ashington. 



General Range. — Chiefly the interior of North America from the Gulf Coast 

 to the Fur Ccjuntries, ])reeding from Iowa and the Dakotas northward; west to 

 the Pacific Coast ; rare or casual on the .Atlantic. 



Range in Washington. — Rare migrant. There are no recent specimens. 



Authorities. — [Lewis and Clark, Hist. Ex. (1814) Ed. Iliddle: Coues, 

 Vol. II. ]i. i()2. 1 (_'v</inis buccinator. Rich., Newberry, Rep. Pac. R. R. Suiv. 

 VI. pt. IW 1858, p. 100. T. C&S. Rh. D-(?). B. 



Specimens. — (V. of W.) 



