158 BIKDS OF LANCASHIRE. 



eight on the morning of the 10th December, 1829, a 

 ilock of twenty-nine Swans, mistaken by many persons 

 who saw them for Wild Geese, was observed flying over 

 the township of Crumpsall at an elevation not exceeding 

 fifty yards above the surface of the earth. They flew in 

 a line, taking a northerly direction, and their lond calls, 

 for they were very clamorous when on the wing, might 

 be heard to a considerable distance. I afterwards 

 learned that they alighted on an extensive reservoir, 

 near Middleton, belonging to Messrs. Burton & Sons, 

 calico-printers, where they were shot at ; and an indi- 

 vidual had one of its wings so severely injured that it was 

 disabled from accompanying its companions in their 

 retreat. A short time since, I had an opportunity of 

 seeing this bird, which resembled the rest of the flock 

 with which it had been associated, and found, as I had 

 anticipated, that it was precisely similar to the small 

 Swan preserved in the museum at Manchester, which, I 

 should state, was purchased in the fish-market of that 



town, about five or six years ago of the 



habits and manners of this species little could be 

 ascertained from a brief inspection of a wounded 

 individual ; I may remark, however, that, when on the 

 water, it had somewhat the air and appearance of a 

 Goose, being almost wholly devoid of that grace and 

 majesty by which the Mute Swan is so advantageously 

 distinguished. It appeared to be a shy and timid bird, 

 and could only be approached near by stratagem, when 

 it intimated its apprehension by uttering its call. It 

 carefully avoided the society of a Mute Swan which was 

 on the same piece of water. On the 28th of February, 

 1830, at half-past ten a.m., seventy-three Swans, of the 

 new species, were observed flying over Crumpsall in a 

 south-easterly direction, at a considerable elevation. 



