THE SWANS. 



The Swans are the largest of the Water 

 Fowl, and adults of those species which 

 inhabit the northern hemisphere can be 

 recognised at a glance by their pure white 

 plumage and long necks. They differ 

 from both the Geese and Ducks in having 

 the space in front of the eyes quite bare 

 of feathers, and from the former also by 

 their short tarsus, which is never so long 

 as the middle toe. 



Young Swans, on changing from the 

 downy stage, have a plumage which is 

 uniformly brown, but white feathers make 

 their appearance almost at once, and by 

 the time they are about fifteen months 

 of age the whole plumage is white. 

 Swans shot in India are for the most 

 part immature, the plumage consisting 

 of a mixture of white and brown feathers. 

 In very young birds the skin in front of 

 the eyes is covered by some stiff bristle-like 

 feathers, but these are soon lost. 



Swans moult once a year, in the autumn, 

 and the sexes are alike. 

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