440 Messrs. H. Seebolim and J. A. Harvie Brown on 



we purchased. He then told us that the bird had been caught 

 at the nest, and was in the possession of his mate, who was 

 still fishing down the river. He could not have heard any 

 thing of our offer of a reward, as we were the first to speak 

 with him after his arrival. We took the first opportunity, 

 which occurred some days after (on the 6th July), of going down 

 the river with the steamer to Stanavoialachta, near which 

 place we found the men we wanted, one of whom was known 

 to our steersman, Big Feodor, and whom some time before 

 we ourselves had actually spoken to when returning from our 

 first trip to Stanavoialachta. We were promptly informed 

 that the skin of the Swan was then lying at Mikitsa, a small 

 village five versts south of Kuya, in the house of the fisher- 

 man who had sent it up there, and that we could get it if 

 we paid for it. We returned to Alexievka ; and next day we 

 intrusted our most intelligent man. Little Feodor, to ferret 

 out the bird at Mikitsa, sending him up to Kuya in the 

 steamer. In due course he returned triumphantly bearing 

 the skin, with feet attached, and the bill separate. He had 

 purchased the former for one rouble, and had also secured 

 the bill, which, in accordance with the usual practice, had 

 been cut off and given to the children to play with. There 

 was no other Swan's skin in the house, nor, as far as he could 

 learn, in the village, except this. It was Bewick^s Swan; 

 and we have every reason to believe, and none whatever to 

 doubt, that it was the veritable bird caught upon the nest 

 which contained the two eggs which we had purchased from 

 the other fisherman on the 29th June. We consider these 

 eggs thoroughly satisfactory, and the chain of evidence in all 

 reason complete. 



Tlie egg of C. bewicki is smaller than that of C. musicus, 

 the former measuring 3"95 inches in length, and the latter 

 4"1 to 4'6. We may also remark that our eggs of the Wild 

 Swan are cream-coloured and glossy, whilst those of Bewick's 

 Swan are white and dull. 



On the 26th July two of our boatmen. Little Feodor and 

 Simeon, came to the wreck at Dvoinik carrying a fine Bew- 

 ick's Swan. They had had a long day and night upon the 



