THE MUTE SWAN. 173 



however, were shot, as, some days after I left the 

 neighbourhood, the Polish bird returned to meet its 

 fate. Though sold in the county town, I could never 

 discover the purchaser. The Polish Swan frequently 

 uttered a distinct but soft whistle. It appeared 

 anxious to leave, but evidently wished its companion 

 to bear it company. There was most certainly a 

 striking resemblance between these two birds, the 

 black mark in both leading from the base of the bill 

 to the eye. The bill, however, of the wild bird was 

 finer, without any protuberance, and the head of a 

 more snake-like shape than that of its companion. 

 At a distance they had a suspicious similarity, and 

 might easily have been taken for the same species. 



THE MUTE SWAN (Cygnus olor) nests every year 

 in considerable numbers on the highest ooze of 

 Wexford Pi arbour, and where the tide never floods 

 more than a few inches. Fifty to sixty of these 

 birds may sometimes be seen dotted about the water 

 on a calm day. These were originally truants from 

 private lakes, as were those on Lough Erne and at 

 Killarney, driven by hard weather to the coast. 

 Here they bring out their broods in perfect safety, 

 and, as is usually the case in Ireland, are never shot 

 or even molested, but are admired and protected 

 by both fishermen and fowlers the latter wisely 

 assuming that they will act as decoys to other 

 wildfowl. This species breeds in many unpro- 

 tected lakes and rivers in Ireland, and though 

 originally escaped from private grounds, they in 

 some large waters may be regarded as purely wild 

 birds. 



