392 THE MUTE SWAN. 



the fall of lambs, to depend much upon the season and the 

 weather of the few preceding months. One year the threo 

 pairs of Swans nearest to me had each a brood of nine 

 twenty-seven Cygnets in only three families. But this is 

 above the average. I have, however, seen seven reared on a 

 very small inoat. It is better not to gratify any unnecessary 

 curiosity respecting the Eggs; indeed the parent birds will 

 hardly allow it. The Cock makes great show, and often more 

 than show of fight against interlopers. A blow from his 

 pinion on land is better avoided; and in the water he would 

 bother the strongest sniirnrner to escape from his fury. I was 

 once attacked by a Swan, when walking too intrusively near 

 his lady's lying-in bed ; he was keeping guard, by sailing in 

 short tacks backwards and forwards before her, but he left the 

 water to give me a forcible hint to go about my own business. 

 The only thing was to meet the threatened danger ; so, seizing 

 his neck in one hand and his outstretched wing in the other, I 

 tossed him as far into the middle of the stream as I could. He 

 seemed a little astonished for a few moments, but, lashing the 

 waters into foam, he would have renewed the attack, had I not 

 speedily withdrawn from his dominions. Coming to close 

 quarters with them is the surest mode of defence. The blow 

 of a Swan's wing, to take effect, must hit from a certain dis- 

 tance. It is clear they are mischievously minded at such times ; 

 but I think that the real danger to be apprehended has, from 

 policy, been exaggerated, that it may act as a sort of guardian 

 dragon to the tempting fruit of the Hesperides. There are 

 possibly persons living who would not be unwilling to have it 

 believed that Hares and Pheasants are most formidable 

 creatures to encounter, especially on moonlight nights. 



The Cygnets, when first hatched, are of a slaty gray, in- 

 clining to mouse-colour. The time of incubation is six we<?ks, 

 or thereabouts. A common notion in Norfolk is, that the 

 Cygnets cannot be hatched till a thunder-storm comes to break 



