WATER BIRDS, 215 
arrival, on Thoresby Lake, of a pair of the Australian 
black swans which are kept by the Duke of Portland at 
Welbeck ; they flew very rapidly, dashing energetically 
into the water, and continuing to dive for a minute or 
two—a habit which I never saw practised by the mute 
swan. 
A number of the latter species were on the lake at 
the time, but their old world notions seemed quite 
shocked by the vigorous gambols of the colonial birds. 
They raised their snowy pinions, and arched their necks 
with increased dignity, as if to remind their sable rela- 
tives that they had quite forgotten the proprieties of 
swan life; but they vouchsafed no further recognition 
of them, and gradually sailed away to another part of 
the lake. 
The female makes use of the same spot for many 
years in succession, and I have known three such places 
at Thoresby which have been occupied without intermis- 
sion for at least a dozen years. One of these is a small 
island in the river near the house, just above where it is 
crossed by a bridge; the island is covered with large 
trees, but as it is only a few yards from either bank, it 
is very much exposed to every passer-by. Here the 
nest is always composed of decayed sticks, which have 
fallen from the trees, and has little else intermingled 
with them. Two other spots in the pleasure grounds have 
been selected for nearly an equal length of time, and 
in both these sticks were used for the nest; in two other 
places it was constructed of flags and rushes—if we can 
say so of a mere heap of those materials. The female 
alone collects the materials for her nest, the male never 
condescending to help his partner, but contenting him- 
self with keeping watch and ward, and is ready to do 
