124 THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



Me. B. Agr. 1865, p. 172). Knox ; migrant, (Rackliff). Oxford ; (Maynard, 

 L. B. C. Co. N. H. & 0. Co. Me., p. 29) . Sagadahoc ; common in migrations, 

 (Spinney). Washington ; common, (Boardman). 



General in migrations along the coast where they locally 



occur quite commonly at times; rare inland. They may be 



most ordinarily expected in October, November, April and 



May. In Spitsbergen great numbers are said to breed and 



also among the islands along the Arctic coast, making a nest 



of grass, moss and rushes lined with down. This is placed on 



the ground and four to six dirty white eggs are laid. These 



are said to measure 2.70 x 1.80 (Saunders). It is said that in 



the north their food consists of berries, grass and tender plants, 



but along the Maine coast they feed entirely on " eel grass," 



Vallisneria spiralis, which they tear up by the roots. 



Subfamily CYGNIN^. Swans. 

 Key to the species of CYGNIN^. 



A. Lores without yellow color. Trumpeter Swan. (Hypothetical List). 



B. Lores yellow spotted or entirely yellow. 



1. Lores with a small yellow spot. Whistling Swan. (Hypothetical 



List). 



2. Lores entirely yellow ; base of bill yellow. Whooping Swan. 



Genus OLOR Wagler. 



179. Olor cygnus (Linn.). Whooping Swan, 

 Plumage of adults : whole of lores and basal portion of bill yellow ; the 

 yellow of bill surrounding the nostrils ; rest of bill and feet black ; plumage 

 otherwise entirely white. Immature plumage : ashy tinged with brownish ; 

 bill and feet lighter than in adults. Wing 23.00 to 26.00; culmen 4.00 to 

 4.75; tarsus 4.00, (Ridgway). 



Geog. Dist. — Europe and Asia ; occasional in southern Greenland ; acci- 

 dental in Maine. 



County Records. — Washington ; one was shot at Poke-a-moon-shine Lake, 

 September 10, 1905, by Chas. S. Hunnewell of Alexander, and after being 

 mounted was sold to Clarence H. Clark of Lubec, in whose collection it now 

 is, (Clark, J. M. O. S, 1905, p. 23). 



