258 GAME BIRDS OF CALIFORNIA 



Eggs — 2 to 7, elongate ovate to elliptical in shape, iiieasuiing in inches, 

 4.08 to 4.48 by 2.58 to 2.83 (in millimeters, 103.7 to 113.9 by 65.5 to 71.8), and 

 averaging 4.26 by 2.68 (108.2 by 68.0); color dull white, usually stained with 

 clay color, and surface of shell pitted (twenty eggs from Alaska). 



General distribution — North America. Breeds from northern Alaska south 

 to Alaska Peninsula, and on Arctic islands from about latitude 74° south to 

 northern Mackenzie and northwestern Hudson Bay. In migration occurs west 

 to Bering Island. Winters regularly on Pacific coast from southern British 

 Columbia to southern California, and occasionally in Lower California and 

 Mexico; also on Atlantic coast from Delaware to South Carolina, rarely to 

 Massachusetts and Florida; rare in interior of United States. Non-breeding 

 birds have been known to remain through the summer on Lake Malheur, 

 Oregon (modified from A. O. U. Check-list, 1910, p. 89; Cooke, 1906, pp. 84-85). 



Distribution in California — Fairly common winter visitant to suitable 

 localities (usually large fresh-water lakes and brackish headwaters of bays) 

 south through the state at least to Orange County (Grinnell coll.). Numerous 

 recent records and specimens from west-central California (Mus. Vert. Zool.), 

 and southern California in vicinity of Los Angeles (Willett, 1912a, p. 28). 



The swans are the largest of all our waterfowl, and by some 

 persons are thought to be also the most beautiful and graceful. Two 

 species of wild swans have been known to occur within the State of 

 California, both during the winter season. The smaller of these, and 

 that which has probably always been the more abundant of the two, 

 is the Whistling Swan. 



This species is still fairly plentiful as a wanter visitant, arriving in 

 late fall or early winter, usually in November or December, and leav- 

 ing by the first of April or earlier. The larger lakes and ponds are 

 chosen for feeding and loafing grounds. Some of the more recent 

 and conspicuous California records are as follows: A fiock of fifteen 

 to tw^enty Whistling Swans wintered on the Alameda Gun Club 

 grounds in Sonoma County in 1905 (Bolander, 1906, p. 75). A num- 

 ber were regularly to be seen near Los Baiios, Merced County, from 

 February 15 to March 11, 1912, but by the latter date most of them 

 had left for the north (Beck, MS). A flock numbering on one occa- 

 sion thirty-one individuals, remained on Laguna Blanca, Santa Bar- 

 bara, from December 22, 1908, to January 29, 1909 (Torrey, 1913, 

 pp. 80-91). And in 1909 a flock of about forty birds wintered on 

 Humboldt Bay (C. I. Clay, MS). In December, 1914, Foster (1915, 

 p. 132) saw several flocks on Cache Slough and "Grizzly Bay." One 

 of these flocks numbered fifty birds and another between twenty 

 and thirty. 



The resemblance of wild swans to the domesticated varieties found 

 on ponds and lakes in our public parks makes general identification of 

 the wild birds easy. Swans may be recognized in flight by their pure 

 white plumage (no black on wing-tips), their large size, and their long 

 necks. The formation of a flock in flight is in V-shaped lines as is the 

 case with most geese. 



