84 ANATIDA 
bones and muscles, nor do I know of a single instance of 
fracture resulting from such violence. I have known a 
furious old male Swan to knock a small boy head over heels 
into the water just as he retreated across a little narrow 
bridge connecting an island in an artificial lake with the 
lawn. The intruder thought to steal an egg from the 
Swans’ nest during their absence, and to return to the land 
in safety, but in vain, for the male was awaiting the return 
of the plunderer across the bridge, while the female was 
fast approaching on the water. With the assistance of two 
men and a rope the boy was quickly landed, and, although 
repeatedly struck on the arms and legs, he did not sustain 
a fracture. 
Flight.—The flight resembles that of the two preceding 
species but is less buoyant. 
Voice.—The term ‘mute’ is hardly a correct one to 
apply to this species. In the pairing-season it often utters 
aloud trumpeting note, moreover it hisses like a snake if 
disturbed while incubating. 
Food.—The food consists of various kinds of water- 
plants ; insects and grain are also eaten. 
Nest.—The nest is a bulky structure, made up of various 
kinds of coarse herbage; it is usually built on islands of 
inland waters. The eggs are greenish-white in colour. 
The shell is of rough texture, and the clutch ranges from 
three to ten. Incubation begins in May. 
Mr. Ussher states that he has ‘‘ seen an incompleted 
clutch of five eggs nicely covered with down and rubbish 
when the birds were off them.” The cygnets (young swans) 
are very carefully tended by their parents. The Mute 
Swan pairs for lie. 
Geographical distribution.—In a thoroughly wild state 
this species has a wide distribution as a breeding-bird in 
Europe. It nests in Denmark, in South Sweden, Central 
and Southern Russia, extending southward to the lakes 
of Greece, the Black and Caspian Seas. In winter it 
migrates to the waters of North Africa and Central Asia 
as well as to Europe. In addition to the British Isles it 
breeds in many parts of Germany in a semi-domesticated 
condition. 
