32 WATER FOWL. 



moderate-sized flocks and the birds fly in V-shaped lines, 

 and continually utter their trumpet call. In winter they 

 gather together in considerable numbers. This Swan 

 is a large bird and will weigh from twelve to twenty 

 pounds. Although of greater dimensions, it bears 

 more resemblance to Bewick's Swan than to any 

 other European species, but is readily distinguished 

 by having nearly two-thirds of the maxilla, or upper 

 part of the bill, yellow. Swans mate for life, and 

 the same pair will usually return to the last year's 

 nest. Among young males, or old males which have 

 lost their mates, fierce fights take place during the breed- 

 ing season, or until most of them have become mated. 

 The habits of the Whooping Swan are similar to those of 

 the Mute Swan, which are known to all who have 

 watched this bird in a domesticated state in Europe. 



In Greenland this present species formerly used to 

 breed, as stated by the Eskimo, near Godthaab, but was 

 exterminated when moulting and unable to escape. It 

 has occasionally reappeared in South Greenland during 

 the past thirty or forty years, but so irregularly, and 

 usually single individuals only, that it would seem 

 these were merely stragglers coming from Iceland, where 

 the bird is known to breed on the large marshes. 



CYGNUS CYGNUS. 



Geographical Distribution. Northern parts of eastern hemis- 

 phere, occasional in Southern Greenland. 



Adult. Plumage, entirely white. Basal portion of bill and 

 lores, yellow, this color surrounding the nostrils, remainder black. 

 Legs and feet, black. Average total length about 57 inches; 

 wing, 24; tarsus, 4; culmen, 4^. 



Young. General color, grayish brown. Bill, base and lores, 

 greenish white ; remainder black, with a reddish orange band 

 across the nostrils. 



Downy Young. All white. 



