nature's SCIIOOL-ROO.M. o47 



open, and uncomfortable-looking' nests, many 

 female swans, and various sorts of geese; and in 

 tlieir vicinity tlie old male swans kce]) perpetu- 

 ally ^'pushing" after tlie cygnets of the previous 

 year, if tliey dare to look even in the direction 

 of the brooding mate. KSuddenly a heavy sound 

 of collective large Avings beats the quiet air, and 

 the young swans rise and fly from one end of 

 the lake to the other, to attain the lower or more 

 distant stretch of the lake, and happier riddance 

 from the spotless lords whose mates are every- 

 where thus jealously protected. 



The flights of these young swans are often 

 joined by the different tribes of wild geese, who 

 scream their delights at any confusion that may 

 arise, mingled, in some instances, with jealous 

 ideas that some one of the passing flight might 

 designedly drop by the nest of their happy expec- 

 tations. 



Every gander or goose, except man, cares for 

 his offspring when they are hatched, still adores 

 his wife or mate, Avhatever be the number of her 

 family, and never deserts his rising young. I 

 never knew a feathered goose in this respect to 

 1)0 disgracefully unkind or jealous, but I have 



