THE AMERICAN SWAN. 



481 



The Common American Swan is equally abundant on both sides of the continent, 

 as well as throughout the interior; the young bird is brown instead of white; the 

 adult seldom, if ever, is without the yellow or orange space at the base of the bill, 

 which is otherwise black. 



THIS beautiful bird is so extremely rare in New England 

 that it cannot properly be considered as belonging to 

 our fauna. Within a few years, perhaps three or four speci- 

 mens have been 

 taken in the waters 

 of Lake Champlain ; 

 and I believe a small 

 flock is recorded to 

 have been seen in 

 Lake Memphrema- 

 gog. These are 

 the only instances 

 known to me of its 

 occurrence in these 

 States. It retires to the most northern countries to pass 

 the season of reproduction. It nests on the ground, on 

 the islands and plains in the Hudson's Bay country. The 

 nest is constructed of a small collection of weeds and 

 dried grasses, loosely adjusted by the female. The eggs 

 are from six to eight or ten in number. They are broadly 

 ovoidal in shape, and of a pale olivaceous-green in color. 

 They vary in dimensions from 4.65 by 3 inches to 3.98 by 

 2.85 inch. 



Sub-Family ANSERINE. The Geese. 

 ANSER, LINN^US. 



Bill as long as the head, mostly red or orange-colored; the lamellae of upper 

 mandible project below the edge as conical points; nostrils opening behind the 

 middle of the commissure, the anterior edge only reaching to this point; tip of hind 

 toe reaching to the ground. 



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