CYGNUS OLOR 27 



Swan was allowed within 200 yards of the nest by the owners 

 thereof. It must be added that their ire was roused as much by the 

 advent of humanity as by that of tlieir own kind. Boats were always 

 greeted by the most warlike demonstrations and canoes not unfre- 

 quently upset, their occupants being more or less damaged by the 

 furious birds, which made for them in the water, attempting to beat 

 them under with their wings. These Swans, like most others of the 

 species, generally chose small islands well covered with bushes and 

 rushes as sites for their nests — most often selecting a mass of rushes 

 close to the river's edge in which to place them. Now and then, but 

 not often, one might be found well inland amongst the bushes. The 

 site taken up by the birds was not always above flood-level, and 

 whenever the river rose they were forced to add largely both to the 

 height and bulk of the nest, in order that the water should not wash 

 away the eggs. They appeared to have no difficulty in working the 

 materials under their eggs, nor have I ever heard of their upset- 

 ting them when so employed. Occasionally, however, when much 

 frightened, or when rushing to repel an enemy, they sweep an egg 

 or two into the water. They sometimes make use of an immense 

 amount of material in constructing their nests, and one such — in the 

 Avon above-mentioned — must have contained a couple of cart-loads 

 of weeds. What it was like originally I do not know, but when 

 I first saw it, after a small flood, the diameter of the base must have 

 been ten or twelve feet, and it was close on six feet high. 



