372 THE LIFE OF A BIRD. 



two. " Living on the banks of the Thames," says 

 Mr. Jesse, " I have often been pleased with seeing 

 the care taken of the young swans by the parent 

 birds. Where the stream is strong the old swan 

 will sink herself sufficiently low to bring her back 

 on a level with the water, when the cygnets will 

 get upon it, and in this manner are conveyed to 

 the other side of the river, or into stiller water." 



The hooded-merganser is said by Audubon to 

 be also in the habit of carrying her young to the 

 water. These birds rear their young in the holes 

 of trees on a few dried weeds and feathers. They 

 are gently carried in the bill of the mother to the 

 water as soon as they are sufficiently advanced. 

 The affectionate parent then leads her young among 

 the tall rank grasses which fill the shallow pools, 

 or the borders of creeks, and teaches them to pro- 

 cure snails, tadpoles, and insects. " On two occa- 

 sions the parents would not abandon the young, 

 although I expected," says Audubon, " that the 

 noises which I made would have induced them to 

 do so : they both followed their offspring into the 

 net which I had set for them. The young all 

 died in two days, Avhen I restored the old birds to 

 liberty. The female, when she sees her young in 



