MUTE SWAN. 75 



Incubation continues for from five to six weeks. 

 After being hatched for one day, the cygnets follow the 

 guidance of their parents to the water, and have but 

 little instruction beyond that instinctively given them 

 by nature, in the art of swimming about and feeding 

 themselves. Still, 'The attention,' says Meyer, 'bestowed 

 by the old birds upon the young is incessant; and 

 when fatigued by the strength of the stream, or re- 

 quiring to be removed to a far distance, too great for 

 their young capacity, the hen bird takes the young 

 ones on her back, which she accomplishes by lowering 

 herself a little in the water, and occasionally assisting 

 them to ascend with her foot, and in this manner they 

 are carried in safety to some more desirable spot. The 

 shape of the Swan's back, which is very flat, is well 

 adapted for this purpose; and when her wings are 

 raised, the young ones repose in the most beautiful 

 and safe cradle imaginable.' 



The nest, when the first egg is laid, is small in 

 size, but, as by degrees a larger family is expected, 

 the mistress adds to the size of it by clutching at 

 every suitable material in its vicinity, and this even 

 to a greater extent than appears to be, or indeed is, 

 at all necessary. Instinct suggests this for a wise 

 purpose; but where reason would say 'hold, enough,' 

 the former displays its inferiority by not knowing where 

 to stop. 



