84 Prorcc(rui(/-s of fiidhiiKi Aciidciitij of l^ciciice. 



quite coiiuiioii in tluit vicinity I'very ^pi-inj;. It certiiiiily marlvod the 

 sprin;,' migrntioii as one of unusual interest. 



But the limit of swan flocks had not been reached in the sprinii migration. 

 On the first day of Xovendtei- T saw a most wonderful flisiht of swans. 

 First there ciiue a distant chdi-ns <if swan notes so Viist in volume that it 

 reached my ears s.niie moments liefcic the tlock came into si.dit. The birds 

 well' lly-ni; \ cry hit;]i. Words are totally inadequate to describe the .grandeur 

 :!U(i ;.;iory of tliat most wonderful tiock. Heading it and stretchins ap- 

 par(>ntly almost across the width of I'.elle Isle wliere it is about lialf a 

 ndle wide, was a line of fully :!(M» l>ir<ls swinging majestically along in 

 great crescent formation followed by a similar line broken, however, near 

 the center where there was a considerable space vacant and followed by 

 smaller groups and birds flying singly and in twoes and threes. Using my 

 field glasses I noted that what seemed to be a mere jumble of birds in the 

 vanguard was really a most orderly grouping of symmetrical units, all 

 spaced and lined according to the most approved swan lules. Off to one 

 side one great pure white bird flew along in grand style uttering his 

 "honk, honk" in true basso prof undo. He was of the flock yet not in it 

 and I wondered if he was an outlaw who had determined to remain by 

 the flock until he ha<l obtained, if not the leadership, at least a respectable 

 following. In its entirity the flock seemed to be composed about equally 

 of old and young, birds in the grey plumage of the spring hatch and old 

 pure white birds being intermingled. 



This flock, apparently in full migration, swept on like a stupendous 

 squadron of aeroplanes. Many of the birds were honking and in ensemble 

 there was the same predominance of the higher notes as observed in the 

 smaller flocks. They had come, perhaps, from the regions north of Lake 

 Superior and would not stop mitil the Monroe Marshes in Lake Erie 

 would be reached where breakfast would be served. 



The most conspicuous fact in the flight of migrating swans is their 

 unchanging lines. In the flight of Canada Geese every one has seen first 

 one strenuous old gander and then another lead the flock, the leadership 

 apparently going to the best man, while the remainder of the flock sway 

 and change from long V-shape to short V-shape ; or, for a time all fly in 

 "company front". The swans seem to assemble in unchanging formation 

 without fluctuations even among the lesser units. This statement is 

 subject to modification but in all the flocks that I have yet seen it holds 

 good. Even when the birds are startled when feeding and rise quickly 

 they assume almost instantly the long slanting line or the wedge-shaped 

 formation, each bird taking its position without confusion. It is just like 

 a street parade in which every one knows exactly where he is to be and 

 takes his position without ado: however, in the case of the swans it is done 

 more expeditiously. The reason for the uniform spacing and divergent 

 lines may be that each individual must have an uiKihstiucted outlook .and 

 flying in this fashion it is always obtained. 



The spring migration this year was about like that of last year in num- 

 bers and duration, although some few birds had remained on the Detroit 

 River all winter and had become so tame that they came u]) to the yard 

 of the residence of a man in Wyandotte Heights for the food that he threw 



