116 ANATIDE. 



and Bewick's Swans is, that the two most conspicuous colours 

 on the beak occupy opposite situations in these species. In 

 the Hooper and Bewick's Swans, the anterior portion of the 

 beak is black, the base and the lore to the eye, orange-yel- 

 low ; but in our Mute Swan it is the anterior portion of the 

 beak Avhicli is of a rich reddish orange, the base and the lore 

 to the eye black, with a prominent black tubercle or knob, 

 on the upper part in front of the forehead, which in old males 

 attains considerable size. 



The Swan is, perhaps, of all others the most beautiful 

 living ornament of our rivers and lakes. Poets of all ages 

 and countries have made this bird the theme of their praise, 

 and by none with more characteristic truth of expression than 

 by our own Milton, who, in his Paradise Lost, says — 



The Swaa with arched neck 



Between her white wings mantling, proudly rows 

 Her state with oary feet. 



The male has frequently been styled " the peaceful mo- 

 narch of the lake ; " but this is his character during part of 

 the year only ; pending the season of incubation, and rearing 

 the young, there is scarcely any bird more pugnacious, and 

 from his great size and power he is in reality a monarch to 

 be feared and avoided by all that inhabit his watery domain, 

 for he drives his weaker subjects in all directions. 



The nest, consisting of a large mass of reeds, rushes, and 

 other coarse herbage, is formed on the ground near the edge 

 of the water, and an island is generally chosen rather than 

 the bank. The female produces six or seven eggs; these 

 are of a dull greenish white, four inches in length, by two 

 inches nine lines in breadth. Incubation lasts six weeks, 

 during which time the male is in constant attendance upon 

 the female, occasionally taking her place upon the eggs, or 



