The Swan. 



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THE SWAN. (Cygnus dor.) 



" Fair is the Swan, whose majesty prevailing 

 O'er breezeless water, on Locarno's lake, 

 Bears him on, while, proudly sailing, 

 He leaves behind a moon-illumined wake : 

 Behold ! the mantling spirit of reserve 

 Fashions his neck into a goodly curve 

 An arch thrown back between luxuriant wings 

 Of whitest garniture, like fir-tree boughs, 

 To which, on some unruffled morning, clings 

 A flaky weight of winter's purest snows ! 

 Behold ! as with a gushing impulse heaves 

 That snowy prow, and softly cleaves 

 The mirror of the crystal flood ; 

 Vanish inverted hill, and shadowy wood, 

 And pendent rocks, where'er in gliding state 

 "Winds the mute creature, without visible mate 

 Or rival, save the queen of night, 

 Showering down a silver light 

 From heaven upon her chosen favourite !" 



WOEDSWOHTH. 



THE two best known species of this elegantly-formed 

 and majestic bird are commonly known as the Wild and 



