228 WOODLANDERS AND FIELD FOLK 



The mute the domesticated swan of our parks 

 and pleasure grounds may at once be identified by 

 the prominent black knob at the base of the bill. 

 It is a plentiful species in a perfectly wild state on 

 many parts of the Continent, especially in these 

 countries bordering the northern seas. This swan 

 has long held its place on English rivers, and the 

 " Water-Poet," referring to 1625, tells us that as he 

 passed up the Avon, " two thousand swans, like so 

 many pilots, swam in the deepest places before 

 me, and showed the way." In the swannery of 

 the Earl of Ilchester there were " fully thirteen 

 hundred birds." Such numbers as these are ac- 

 counted for by the fact that the mute swan breeds 

 and multiplies better when domesticated than wild; 

 it is protected, and has but few enemies to battle 

 against. A pair of these birds once in my possession 

 bred annually, hatching, when allowed, from three 

 to seven cygnets. These were usually produced 

 during the first week in June, and they left the nest 

 immediately. The nest is a huge mass of weeds, 

 rushes, grass in fact, every bit of available soft 

 material. It is placed among the stalks of giant 

 burdocks, but for yards around the herbage is 

 trampled quite flat. In the time of pairing the 

 evolutions of the parent birds are graceful in the 

 extreme. With slightly lifted plumes they move 

 on the water without any revelation of motive- 



