Bewick's swan. 159 



They flew abreast, forming an extensive line, like those 

 seen on the 10th of December, 1829 ; like them, too, they 

 were mistaken for Wild Geese by most persons who saw 

 them with whom I had an opportunit}' of conversing on 

 the subject ; but their superior dimensions, the whiteness 

 of their plumage, their black feet, easily distinguished 

 as they passed overhead, and their reiterated calls, which 

 first directed my attention to them, were so strikingly 

 characteristic, that skilful ornithologists could not be 

 ■deceived with regard to the genus to which they belonged. 

 That these birds were not Hoopers may be safely inferred 



from their great inferiority in point of size 



I am informed, that when the Wild Swans were shot at, 

 near Middleton, on the 10th of December, 1829, one of 

 them was so reluctant to abandon the bird which was 

 wounded on that occasion, that it continued to fly about 

 the spot for several hours after the rest of the flock had 

 departed, and that, during this period, its mournful cry 

 was heard almost incessantly. In consequence of the 

 protracted disturbance caused by the persevering efforts 

 of Messrs. Burton's workmen to secure its unfortunate 

 companion, it was at last, however, compelled to with- 

 draw, and was not seen again till the '23rd of March, 

 when a Swan, supposed to be the same individual, made 

 its appearance in the neighbourhood, flew several times 

 round the reservoir in lofty circles, and ultimately 

 descended to the wounded bird, with which, after a 

 cordial greeting, it immediately paired. The newly 

 arrived Swan, which proved to be a male bird, soon 

 became accustomed to the presence of strangers ; and, 

 when I saw it, on the 4th of April, was even more 

 famihar than its captive mate. As these birds were 

 strongly attached to each other, and seemed to be 

 perfectly reconciled to their situation, which, in many 



