262 The Water-fowl Family 



' County, California, and San Raphael, Lower California (Sp. ?). 

 Occurs in migration from the Commander and Pribilof islands 

 to Newfoundland, and has been taken .in Scotland and Bermuda. 



The whistling-swan reaches the breeding- 

 grounds in late April or early May, arriving in 

 flocks, most of which cross the interior; some 

 follow the line of Hudson Bay, others the Pacific 

 Coast. Soon after their appearance at the summer 

 home, the flocks break up into pairs, each pair 

 frequenting the nesting-place, usually a small island. 

 Captain Lyon has described the nest as being 

 built of moss peat, and as being of considerable 

 size, the length at the base being nearly six feet 

 by four in width, in the shape of a mound, with 

 an outside height of two feet, the cavity being a 

 foot and a half in diameter. 



The young are hatched about July i, and be- 

 fore they are able to fly many fall a prey to the 

 natives. The fall migration begins in early Octo- 

 ber. Families congregate in flocks and when a 

 favorable wind offers, start on the journey south. 

 The flight is mainly overland, in a straight, un- 

 erring line, high in the air, and in fair weather 

 with but few stops. Those wintering along the 

 Atlantic reach the coasts of North and South 

 Carolina in early November and remain until well 

 on into March. On the Columbia River the birds 

 arrive in late October and leave in March or the 

 first week of April. The first comers are in 



