74 BIRDS OF NOKFOLK. 



years back, however, a pair of swans, under the charge 

 of Trett's father, had eight or nine cygnets, which, 

 with one exception, crept into a large bow-net, set in 

 the month of a marsh " dyke," and were drowned with 

 the rising tide. In this most exceptional instance, the 

 female, though still attended by her one surviving cyg- 

 net, laid again and brought off four young ones ; but 

 these, like the former clutch, came to an untimely end, 

 trampled to death, it was supposed, by their big brother, 

 in his efforts to secure a footmg in his former nursery. 

 As far as I can ascertain the young cygnets are never 

 destroyed on these waters by either rats or pike, but 

 occasionally, when very small, if they are feeding in a 

 drain, and the water becomes low, they have much 

 difficulty in climbing out, and become weakened, and 

 at last drowned by falling back into the stream. The 

 old birds, also, in their anxiety to assist them, not unfre- 

 quently trample them down, or kill one or more acci- 

 dentally in their excitement with a stroke of the wing. 

 A loss in eggs may arise from various causes besides 

 egg stealing or a sudden flood. A young pair are some- 

 times driven off by an old cock swan and the eggs are 

 spoilt ; or some may roll out and get broken owing to 

 a badly constructed nest, whilst, occasionally, a like 

 result occurs during a fierce contest between rival males. 

 The down of the nestling cygnets, which is of a 

 light grey on the head and neck, with a brownish 

 tinge upon the back and wings, is replaced by feathers 

 of a darker hue, approaching to a sooty grey; yet 

 still lightest on the under parts. But, though in some 

 a sprinkling of white feathers may be seen in their 

 first autumn as early as the beginning of August, 

 they do not complete their pure white plumage till 

 the following summer, when from twelve to fourteen 

 months old. It is, however, in this intermediate stage, 

 the least attractive as regards form or plumage, — repre- 



