223 



ZTbe BIack**uecf?eb Swan. 



fCyg?ius nigricollis ) . 

 By H. G00DCHI1.D, M.B.O.U. 



fROBABLY comparatively few of us have ever 

 even heard of the " Zoological Sketches," a 

 series of water - colour drawings of living 

 animals made in the Zoological Gardens by 

 the great animal painter Joseph Wolf. By the kind- 

 ness of the Zoological Society, to the Council of 

 which our thanks are due for the permission to re- 

 produce the accompanying example, we are enabled 

 to gain some idea of the character of this series. The 

 originals are treasured in the Library of the Society, 

 and those who are Fellows of the Society should avail 

 themselves of the opportunity of seeing the actual 

 work of this great artist. 



This bird comes from Argentina, Chili, and Pata- 

 gonia. Mr. W. H. Hudson, who knows the Black- 

 necked Swan in a state of nature, thus writes of it in 

 "Argentine Ornithology" (Vol. II. p. 125). 



"This Swan is verj^ abundant on the pampas of 

 Buenos Ayres and in Patagonia, and ranges south to 

 Magellan Straits and the Falklands. As a rule they 

 are seen in small flocks, but sometimes as many as 

 two or three hundred congregate together. They are 

 heavy birds and rise with difficulty, and fly rapidly 

 and with great violence, like all heavy-bodied short- 

 winged species ; but in no other very large bird with 

 which I am acquainted do the wings produce so loud 

 a rushing sound. In quiet places the beating of their 

 wings can be heard distinctly when the birds are no 

 longer in sight, although, owing to their large size, 

 the eye can follow them very far. Gauchos sometimes 

 capture them by suddenly charging down the wind 

 upon them, uttering loud shouts which greatly terrify 



