28 Manual of the Gaiiie Birds of India. 



inland pieces of water or slow-flowing 

 rivers, where there is a good deal of 

 vegetation on the banks. In the winter 

 it may be seen on the sea-shore, at the 

 mouth of some river, or in some quiet 

 bay, and it seldom goes far from the 

 shore. It lives, and also migrates, in 

 flocks or small parties, and is particularly 

 shy. It flies like a Goose or a Duck, 

 with the neck stretched out at full length ; 

 and the noise made by its wings, when 

 flying, is very loud, and can be heard for 

 a long distance. 



The Mute Swan is not entirely a silent 

 bird. When angry it hisses like a Goose, 

 and at the pairing season it is said to 

 have a soft, low voice, not at all un- 

 musical. At times it is also said to have 

 a trumpet-like call, like that of a Crane. 



The Mute Swan, like others of its tribe, 

 feeds chiefly on vegetable matter growing 

 in the water, and also on insects, snails, 

 and worms. It never dives, but it sub- 

 merges the front half of its body when 

 searching with its bill for food at the 

 bottom of ponds, etc. 



I shall now proceed to quote Mr. 

 Stevenson, who in his " Birds of Nor- 

 folk " gives us a very full and interesting 

 account of the habits and the breed- 



