WATERFOWL 
of its former ceremonial, observed some time 
during the month of June. 
Swans, like both of the other groups, are 
distinguished by a separate name for either 
sex : pen and cob for the swan, gander and 
goose, drake and duck, and the figurative 
use of some of these terms in such popular 
savings as " making ducks and drakes of 
money," " sauce for the goose," etc., is too 
familiar to call for more than passing mention. 
Nearly all these waterfowl, though seen 
on dry land to much the same disadvantage 
as fish out of water, are exceedingly graceful 
in either air or water, though not all ducks are 
as capable of diving as the name would im- 
ply. The proverbial futility of a wild goose 
chase recognises the pace of these birds on 
the wing, which, though, in common with 
that of some other birds, popularly exagger- 
ated, is considerably faster than, owing to 
their short wings and heavy build, might 
appear to the careless observer. 
Ducks have a curious habit of adding down 
to the nest after the eggs are laid and before 
incubation, and this provision of warm pack- 
ing is turned to account in Iceland and other 
131 
