80 SWANS 



killed, was probably cleared from its more northern ranges at an early 

 date. 



"At present, strenuous efforts are being made to preserve the last 

 remaining individuals of this beautiful species. Attempts have been 

 made to make reserves of waters they frequent, but they refuse to stay 

 in narrow but safe confines and their numbers are still diminishing. Un- 

 fortunately, only the stations at the winter end of the migratory range 

 can be reserved, the other end is scattered and difficult to protect from 

 occasional intruders. A single visit of an irresponsible white or Indian 

 may occur at any time on the loneliest lakes of the northland and destroy 

 a small community, and it has now come to the point where every pair 

 counts. Naturally, under these conditions, exact information as to the 

 localities these birds frequent has been kept confidential, but it is also 

 necessary that no information of this kind should be lost. All who know 

 of a new station for these birds are urged to communicate with the of- 

 ficials responsible for their protection, not only to assist them in the 

 present, but that the data may be preserved until such time as it is safe 

 to publish it more widely." 



In Canada, the present wintering population of the Trumpeter Swan 

 is estimated to be at least 500, the flocks being located in the wilds of 

 British Columbia. In the United States the population in 1940 was 

 117, the flocks being found in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, 

 and at Red Rock Lake Sanctuary, close by in Montana. 



The Trumpeter Swan builds its nest of tules or other aquatic vege- 

 tation of the vicinity, and will often establish itself on the top of muskrat 

 houses or deserted beaver lodges; the nest is a huge affair, five or more 

 feet across at the bottom, and similar to that of the Whistling Swan. 

 This swan is said to lay from 2 to 10 eggs, but probably the usual set is 

 from 4 to 6. The eggs are dull white or creamy white when first laid, 

 and average 4.33 by 2.80 inches. 



The voice of the Trumpeter Swan was recorded by Dr. A. A. Allen. 

 A pair of swans with two cygnets were observed on Lower Red Lake, 

 Montana, and the cygnets were driven into a blind, captured, and im- 

 prisoned in a wire cylinder which was placed near the microphone. Dr. 

 Allen (1937) says: "Within ten minutes the swans had found their 

 youngsters and Were talking to them into the waiting microphone. In 

 a few minutes we had the sounds of both young and old safely recorded. 

 I then pulled gently on the string, capsizing the cylinder and releasing 

 the young without their knowing just what had happened and without 

 their realizing that we were anywhere around. The little cygnets swam 

 from one parent to the other, talking back and forth and gradually mov- 

 ing up the lake again. They were none the worse for having been our 

 prisoners for a few minutes so that we could make a permanent record of 

 their voices that will go down through the years, even though all their 

 kind should vanish from the earth." 



The age to which these swans live in the wild state is, of course, not 

 known, but one of these birds, in captivity, lived for 32 1/ 2 years. 



