206 THE WILD-FOWLER. 



The KamtscLadales take them, in winter, with g-ins and nooses, 

 and by various otlier devices which they employ, in such rivers as do 

 not freeze ; and in the season when swans are moulting-, they hunt 

 them with dog's, and kill them with clubs.* 



In Iceland, also, these birds are objects of chase when unable to 

 fly. The natives then pursue them with dog's and active horses, 

 capable of passing- nimbly over the boggy soil and marshes where they 

 resort ; and they run so swiftly, that a fast horse is required to over- 

 take them. The greater numbers are caught in the chase by the dogs, 

 which are taught to seize them by the neck ; this causes them to 

 lose their balance, when they become an easy prey.f 



The flesh of the wild-swan is highly esteemed by the Icelanders 

 (especially that of the young birds), insomuch so that, summer or 

 winter, no entertainment is deemed complete without a swan. J 



Professor Yarrell gives some amusing- particulars respecting- the 

 feeding of young swans of the year for the table, as now practised in 

 the city of Norwich : by which it appears, that the Town-clerk sends 

 a note from the Town-hall to the public swan-herdsman, members of 

 the Corporation, and others who have swans and swan-rights ; and 

 " on the second Monday in August, the cygnets are collected in a 

 small stew or pond, the number annually varying from fifty to 

 seventy, many of them belonging to private individuals. They begin 

 to feed immediately, being provided with as much barley as they can 

 eat, and are usually ready for killing early in November. They vary 

 in weight, some reaching- to twenty-eight pounds. If kept beyond 

 November, they begin to fall off", losing- both flesh and fat ; and the 

 meat becomes darker in colour and stronger in flavour." § A printed 

 copy of the following lines is usually sent with each bird : 



To Roast a Swan. 



" Take tliree pounds of beef, beat fine in a mortar : 

 Put it into the swan — tbat is, when you've caught her. 

 Some pepper, salt, mace, some nutmeg, an onion, 

 Will heighten the flavour, in Gourmand's opinion. 

 Then tie it up tight with a small piece of tape. 

 That the gravy and other things may not escape. 

 A meal paste, rather stiiF, should be laid on the breast, 

 And some whited-brown paper should cover the rest. 

 Fifteen minutes, at least, ere the Swan you take down, 

 Pull the paste off the bird, that the breast may get brown." 



* Histoi'y of Kamtsckatka ; by Jas. Grieve : l76i. 



t Vide Daniel's Rural Sports, vol. iii. J Ibid. 



§ Vide Yarrell's British Birds, vol. iii., p. 225. 



