222 BIRDS OF MIDDLESEX. 



Allegro, or by Maelzel's Metronome =126. 



WILD SWAN or HOOPER, Cygnus ferus vel musicus. 

 Formerly an occasional winter visitant to the Thames 

 and our reservoirs, but none have been seen for 

 many years. It is only during severe weather that 

 Wild Swans come so far inland, and even then they 

 make no stay, for their conspicuous size and colour 

 at once attract attention, and all the guns in their 

 neighbourhood are directed towards them. 



Although a Swan rises very heavily from the 

 water, flapping along the surface for some distance 

 before it is fairly on the wing, yet, when once 

 launched, it is a bird of powerful flight, and the loud 

 whistling sound caused by the rapid beats of its 

 pinions may be heard at a considerable distance, 



Tame Swans in hard weather will occasionally 

 take flight, and wander a long way from ther owners, 

 but the sportsman need never be afraid of shooting 

 a tame Swan in mistake for a wild one ; for as the 

 bird comes within shot, flying with outstretched neck, 

 which looks unnaturally long for the body, he has 

 only to look at the head, and if the base of the bill 

 appears very black, with the tip yellow, let him 

 reserve his fire ; but if the colours are reversed, and 



