194 REMINISCENCES OF A SPORTSMAN. 



CHAP. XVIII. 



FLIGHT OF WILD SWANS. — WILD SWABT SHOOTING. — ST. JOHN S WILD 

 SWAN SHOOTLNG. — MODE OF DEESSING THE SWAN. — AX7TH0E 

 SHOOTING A WILD SWAN. 



" The swan, where northern rivers glide 

 Through the tall reeds that fringe their tide, 

 Floats graceful on her wing." — Hemans. 



" As rears her crest the ruffled swan, 

 And spurns the wave with wings of pride, 

 When pass the steps of stranger man, 

 Along the banks that bound her tide." — The Giaour. 



The Hooper or Wild Swan, known by the name of the 

 whistling swan, is smaller than the white or tame swan, 

 and is about five feet in length and seven in breadth, 

 and weighs from fourteen to seventeen pounds. The 

 bill is three inches long ; from the base to the middle 

 it is yellowish white, and from thence to the end black. 

 The place bare of feathers, from the bill over the eye and 

 eyelids, is yellow. The whole plumage in the full-grown 

 birds is of a pure white, and next the skin they are clothed 

 with a thick fine down. This species of wild fowl are 

 inhabitants of the northern regions, seldom appearing in 

 England, except quite to the north, and in Scotland, 



