186 FIELD NOTES FOR THE YEAR. 



out, there is a chance of being surrounded by the water, and 

 detained till an hour or two after the tide begins to ebb 

 again, which in these short autumn days would be incon- 

 venient, as I am now at least six miles, from home ; a great 

 part of which distance is over the roughest piece of moss and 

 heather tbat I know ; full, too, of concealed holes, treacher- 

 ously covered over with vegetation. 



The first flock of swans which I have seen this season are 

 just arriving in a long, undulating line. As they come over 

 the sands where they will probably rest for the night, the 

 whole company sets up a simultaneous concert of trumpet- 

 like cries ; and after one or two wheels round the place, light 

 down on the sand, and immediately commence pluming 

 themselves and putting their feathers in order, after their 

 long and weary flight from the wild morasses of the north. 

 After a short dressing of feathers and resting a few minutes, 

 the whole beautiful flock stretch their wings again, and rise 

 gradually into the air, but to no great height, their pinions 

 sounding loud as they flap along the shallow water before 

 getting well on wing. They then fly off, led by instinct or 

 the experience of former years, to where a small stream runs 

 into the bay, and where its waters have not yet mingled with 

 the salt sea. Here they alight, and drink and splash about 

 to their hearts' content. This done, they waddle out of the 

 stream, and after a little stretching of wings and arranging 

 of plumage, standing in a long row, dispose themselves to 

 rest, every bird with her head and long neck laid on her 

 back, with the exception of one unfortunate individual, who 

 by a well-understood arrangement stands with erect neck 

 and watchful eye to guard his sleeping companions. They 

 have, however, a proper sense of justice, and relieve guard 

 regularly, like a well-disciplined garrison. I would willingly 

 disturb their rest with a charge of swan-shot, could I get 

 within range, but not being able so to do, I must needs leave 

 the noble-looking birds to rest in peace. When I get up 

 from the place where I was sitting to watch them, the 

 sentinel gives a low cry of alarm, which makes the whole 

 rank lift their heads for a moment ; but seeing that they are 

 out of danger, and that instead of approaching them, I am 

 walking in the contrary direction, they all dispose themselves 

 again to rest, with the exception of their watchful sentry. 

 In the morning, at daybreak, they will all be feeding in the 

 .shallow lakes in the neighbourhood, led there by some old 



