SWANS IN NORWAY. 171 



passed over the ice, from Copenhagen to Dantzic, as 

 securely as if they had travelled by land. But all the 

 salt waters in our land were open, especially by Ber- 

 gen ; so God's good providence brought us then 

 many water-birds, and among them swans. This 

 would appear astonishing to a philosopher, namely, 

 open water in the north, when it was frozen in the 

 south." 



It is an interesting circumstance, that the swans on 

 the north-west coast of Norway go to the large inland 

 lakes during the breeding-season, where they remain 

 until the approach of winter, but when these lakes 

 become frozen, they return to the seacoast, which is 

 always open on account of the influence of the Gulf 

 Stream. 



The mute swan (Cygnus olor) is by no means com- 

 mon here. A pair, in a tame state, may be seen on 

 an ornamental sheet of water in the Royal Park at 

 Christiania ; they readily come to be fed by strangers, 

 who throw bits of cake and bread to them. 



Wild swans are common in the south of Norway, 

 where great numbers are killed annually for the sake 

 of the " swan-down." Hundreds of swans congregate 

 on the southern lakes, and are pursued in boats, when 

 they are knocked on the head with long sticks, or are 

 captured alive. The scene is an animated one, and 

 brings in considerable profits to the sportsmen, if the 

 parties concerned deserve that appellation. 



The hooper (G. ferus) is found, during the summer 

 months, on the inland lakes of Norway, as far north 

 as the south of Finmark. In winter it goes to the 

 seacoast, from whence it partially migrates. When 

 the winter has not been very severe or prolonged, the 



