3io ODD HOURS WITH NATURE 



like those of the mute swan, of a pale greenish 

 colour, but of a creamy white. They are hatched 

 out about the middle of June, and the cygnets are 

 ready to fly by the time that the rigour of the 

 Arctic winter locks up all the home supplies of 

 food. 



The vast majority of birds are mature when 

 they are a year old, and proceed to the respon- 

 sibilities of rearing a family ; but as becomes an 

 animal which may live for half a century and 

 which mates for life, the swan waits till he is 

 quite sure of his own mind. He does not take a 

 mate till his third year, having no doubt thoroughly 

 studied the lady, found out that her temper is 

 good, and that her neck has the proper curve. 

 Swans, it is reasonable to suppose, are rather 

 exacting in the matter of a feature of such con- 

 sequenceand length. It would, indeed, be 

 horrible to be tied far life to a stiff-necked partner 

 when the neck is a yard long, 



There was a time when the swan was eaten in 

 this country, and the ability to do justice to it 

 was a high point in the equipment of the cook. 

 In these degenerate days the goose is as much as 

 we care to sit down in front of, But wild swans 

 often do appear still on the market, and it is a 

 subject for the inquiry of the curious what becomes 

 of them. I have seen one in a poulterer's window, 

 but was given to understand that its commercial 

 uses began and ended in the function of advertise- 

 ment a poor function to be served by one of the 

 handsomest of animals, which, if all tales be true, 

 is capable of living happily for more than half a 



