30 Manual of the Game Birds of Itidia. 



and thus, by a marvellous instinct, as 

 in the case recorded by Yarrell, anticipate 

 an extraordinarily high tide. At such 

 times both birds are employed in the 

 work, the male collecting materials and 

 its mate arranging them and shifting her 

 eggs. The process, as observed by Rich 

 on more than one occasion, appears to 

 be as follows : — The fresh stuff is piled 

 up on one side of the nest, and having 

 been roughly laid with the bill, is flattened 

 down with the crown of the head; the 

 eggs are then carefully rolled on to the 

 higher surface by means of the head and 

 beak, the under part of the lower man- 

 dible being inserted under each, and the 

 same course is then adopted on the other 

 side ; and lastly, having raised the centre 

 in proportion, the eggs are returned to 

 their proper position. The eggs are not, 

 however, exposed during all this time, 

 but are covered at intervals by the female 

 to keep them warm, and this even when 

 the waters are rising rapidly. 



"The Swan's nest, from its ample di- 

 mensions, is always a conspicuous object, 

 whether placed amongst the rank herbage 

 on the river's bank, at the mouth of a 

 marsh drain, or on the little islands and 

 reedy margins of the broads themselves ; 



