202 REMIXISCEXCES OF A SPORTSMAN. 



time, and closely watching the birds in all their graceful 

 movements, sometimes having a swan within half a 

 shot of me, but never getting two or three together, I 

 thought of some of my assistant's instructions, which 

 he had given me en rovte in the morning, and I imi- 

 tated, as well as I could, the barking of a dog ; immedi- 

 ately all the swans collected in a body, and looked 

 round to see where the noise came from. I was not 

 above forty yards from them ; so, gently raising myself 

 on my elbow, I pulled the trigger, aiming at a forest of 

 necks. To my dismay the gun did not go off, the wet, 

 or something else, having spoiled the cap. The birds 

 were slow in rising, so without pulling the other trigger, 

 I put on another cap, and starting up, fired right and 

 left at two of the largest swans as they rose from the 

 loch. The cartridge told well on one that fell dead into 

 the water, the other flew off after the rest of the flock, 

 but presently turned back, and after making two or 

 three graceful sweeps over the body of his companion, 

 fell headlong, perfectly dead, almost upon her body." * 



A few years ago, being at Weymouth, I went with a 

 party to Abbotsbury, chiefly to see an extensive swan- 

 nery belonging to Lord Ilchester. The swans are not 

 of the wild species, but a great number may be seen 

 swimming and flying about over a large expanse of 

 water, which has a communication with the sea, which 

 they often frequent when it is tolerably calm. Lord 

 Ilchester permits no one to fire or molest the noble birds, 

 who remain all the year and breed in the spring. A 



* The wild swan on the surface of the water is not so graceful as the 

 tame one, more particularly in the bend of the neck ; and it is a pleasing 

 sight to see the tame swan swimming before the wind, with its large 

 wings open, like a vessel directing its course with its studding-sails set. 



