ANATID.E. 471 



far down the sides : it also differs in anatomical 

 structure. 



The food of Bewick's Swan appears to consist 

 principally of the roots, stalks and leaves of aquatic 

 plants, and the larva? of insects and worms:* seeds 

 also may be added, as Yarrell says the stomach of 

 one examined by Mr. Thompson contained only 

 minute seeds and gravel. 



The nest is said to be composed of boughs of the 

 northern willow, rushes, leaves of divers flags, piled 

 one upon another, without much labour being be- 

 stowed in weaving them together, t 



The beak of this Swan is black from the tip to 

 above the nostrils and to the base at the margin of 

 the upper mandible ; the base of the beak is a more 

 orange-yellow than that of the Wild Swan; the 

 irides are dark ; the whole of the plumage of the 

 adult bird pure white; the legs, toes and webs 

 black. The young birds in their first winter are 

 greyish brown; by their second winter they have 

 acquired the white plumage, but the head and breast 

 are strongly marked with rusty red ; the base of the 

 beak is lemon -yellow and the irides orange. J 



The egg, like the bird, is smaller than that of the 

 Hooper, and of a pale brownish white colour. 



* Meyer's ' British Birds,' vol. vi., p. 65. 



| Id., p. 66. 



I Yarrell, vol. iii., p. 204. 



Id., p. 200, 



