FRIENDSHIP IN ANIMALS 8i 



this companionship made their lonely lives less irk- 

 some. 



Another even stranger case must be told in con- 

 clusion — the sad case of a lonely swan in search of a 

 friend, and as it is a story of the " incredible " sort 

 I am glad I have permission to give the names of the 

 persons who witnessed the affair. The place is Little 

 Chelmsford Hall, near Chelmsford, and the witnesses 

 are Lady Pennefather and her friend Miss Guinness 

 who resides with her. Near the house there is an 

 artificial lake of considerable length, fed by a stream 

 which flows into the grounds on one side and out at 

 the other. Lake and stream are stocked with trout. 

 A pair of sv/ans are kept on the lake and three or four 

 years ago they reared a single young one, which after 

 some months when it was fully grown they began to 

 persecute. The young swan however could not 

 endure to be alone, and although driven furiously off 

 to a distance a hundred times a day he would still re- 

 turn. Eventually he was punished so mercilessly that 

 he gave it up and went right away to the further end 

 of the lake and made that part his home. About this 

 time Miss Guinness started making a series of water- 

 colour sketches at that end of the lake, and her presence 

 was a happiness to the swan. Invariably on her ap- 

 pearance he would start swimming rapidly towards 

 her, then leaving the water he would follow her about 

 until she sat down to do a sketch, whereupon the swan 

 would settle itself by her side to stay contentedly with 

 her until she finished. This went on for five or six 

 6 



