388 THE MUTE SWAN. 



instinctively lay hold of and devour. Cygnets which havo 

 been previously put up to fatten, will give little or no trouble 

 in this respect, besides the advantage of being accustomed to 

 the near approach of a keeper. 



In one week I lost two Swans, a Cygnet, and a year-old 

 bird, from the consequences, I fear, of a few days' short diet 

 at moulting time. Suspecting foul play from some ill-natured 

 person, I caused a post mortem examination to be made of 

 that which died last; but, in a literal sense, nothing could be 

 found. The poor thing was empty and emaciated, though it 

 had been fed with corn two or three days before, and though 

 it had only to ascend a bank a foot high to enjoy a plentiful 

 feast of good grass. It had been seen sailing about, in apparent 

 health and spirits, the previous evening, and my mind is not 

 yet quite satisfied about the subject. The following remarks 

 may perhaps afford some clue in similar cases. 



"Swans wandering by night, in search of watercresses 

 chiefly, are always in danger from the different vermin which 

 prey upon poultry and game weasels, stoats, polecats, &c. 

 And Swans thus destroyed exhibit no wounds or marks upon 

 the body; but upon the head and neck, where, on a minute 

 inspection, the wounds are discovered through which the 

 vermin have sucked the life-blood, leaving the bulk so little 

 affected that the feathers are unruffled. The wounds appear 

 scarcely the size of a pin's head, but are generally above half 

 an inch deep. Geese and Turkeys are also liable to be de- 

 stroyed by these nocturnal marauders, which, like all beasts 

 of prey, sleep throughout the day." Moubray on Poultry, 

 8th edition, p. 128. 



One would doubt the fact of so large a bird as the Swan 

 falling a victim to a wretched little weasel. But a relation 

 of mine had a pair of Canada Geese, birds little inferior in 

 size to the Swan, which in the breeding season were suffered 

 to shift their quarters from the farm-yard, their usual abode, 



