290 BULLETIN 130, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



generally resulted in making them "SYilder than ever or in driving 

 them away altogether. The flesh of the younger birds is compara- 

 tively tender and palatable, but the older birds are very tough. 

 Swans always have been attractive marks for sportsmen on account 

 of their large size and spectacular appearance, but comparatively few 

 have ever enjoyed the privilege of shooting at them. Swans are now 

 protected in their winter resorts on the Atlantic coast, but formerly 

 they were shot in considerable numbers in the vicinity of Chesapeake 

 Bay and Currituck Sound. They were shot mainly from the marshy 

 points where blinds were built for duck shooting; the swans were 

 wont to feed along the shores of the marshj^ coves and bays; and 

 in passing from one cove to another they frequently flew close 

 around or over these points, offering tempting shots. It was an 

 exciting moment for the sportsman when he saw a flock of these 

 great white birds approaching and few could resist the temptation 

 to shoot at them. On Avindy, stormy days it was often possible to 

 creep up to them through the marsh near enough to get a shot at 

 them when they rose. Approaching swans on the open water of the 

 bay was a different proposition, especially if they were surrounded, 

 as they often were, by the watchful geese. But even this was suc- 

 cessfully accomplished by sailing down the wind upon them, which 

 made it necessary for them to rise toward the boat. In winter, boats 

 covered with blocks of ice and manned by gunners dressed in white 

 could sometimes be paddled or allowed to drift within gunshot of a 

 feeding flock. 



Winter. — Doctor Sharpless, in his interesting account of this 

 species published by Audubon (1840), thus describes the arrival of 

 the swans in their principal winter home on the coasts of Virginia 

 and North Carolina : 



The swaus, in traveling from tlie northern parts of America to their winter 

 residence, generally lieep far inland, mounted above the highest peaks of the 

 Allegheny, and rarely follow the watercourses like the geese, which usually 

 stop on the route, particularly if they have taken the seaboard. The swans 

 rarely pause on their migrating flight, unless overtaken by a storm, above 

 the reach of which occurrence they generally soar. They have been seen 

 following the coast in but very few instances. They arrive at their winter 

 homes in October and November, and immediately take possession of their 

 regular feeding grounds. They generally reach these places in the night, 

 and the first signal of their arrival at their winter abode is a general burst 

 of melody, making the shores ring for several hours with the vociferating 

 congratulations whilst making amends for a long fast, and pluming their 

 deranged feathers. From these localities they i-arely depart unless driven 

 farther south by intensely cold weather, until their vernal excursion. 



The Chesapeake Bay is a great resort for swans during the winter, and 

 whilst there they form collections of from 100 to 500 on the flats, near the 

 western shores, and extend from the outlet of the Susquehanna River almost 

 to the Rip Raps. The connecting streams also present fine feeding grounds. 



