22 WATER FOWL. 



and gradually lowering themselves from their lofty alti- 

 tudes, turn head to wind, and checking their momentum 

 by a few rapid wing beats, launch themselves into the 

 waters of the sound. Should there be any Swan in the 

 vicinity, and the newcomers are the fewest in number, 

 they swim to them, otherwise little attention is paid to 

 other flocks. 



Their journey having provided them with sharpened 

 appetites, they soon commence to feed by immersing 

 their heads and dragging up the grass from the bottom. 

 If the water is deeper than the length of the neck, the 

 hinder part of the body is tilted up and held in position 

 by gaddling with the feet, until a quantity of tender grass 

 is torn from the bottom. While feeding, usually one or 

 more birds keep a lookout for approaching danger, 

 and should any be descried, a warning note is sounded, 

 and the flock begins to swim away, heading to windward, 

 if possible. If undisturbed, Swan are very noisy, keeping 

 up a continual medley of cries, usually uttered in so high 

 a key as to render it impossible to imitate without arti- 

 ficial aid, juit-4f-aJaTmed, the bifTfe-immediately become 

 silent, and remain so until the object of their fear has 

 dep_3Etedr"*~Upon the water this Swan floats lightly and 

 presents a beautiful appearance. When congregated 

 together in large numbers they seem, from a distance, 

 like snow islands, so pure and white is their plumage. 

 As they move gracefully along, propelled by a powerful 

 shove of one webbed foot after another, the neck is 

 usually carried upright, though occasionally with a 

 graceful curve the head is lowered for a sip of water, or 

 to seize upon a morsel of floating grass. 



Where SwanJaavsJ^egft-feediiig fur ally length of time 

 great holes are hollqwejdJjoJJieJiattom, the mud or sand 

 having been scooped out by their powerful bills and feet 



