52 BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



with ice soon grew so exhausted that they settled into the nearest ponds 

 and streams almost helpless. Generally a single one was seen in some 

 mill-pond or creek, and the fowling-piece loaded with large shot, and 

 not unfrequently the rifle, was used to bring- to bag- the noble game, 

 though, considering the plight they were in, in all probability any one 

 might have paddled up to the birds and taken them alive. In fact in a 

 number of instances they were reported as thus taken alive. Large 

 flocks were seen in some districts in the same pitiable condition. In 

 close vicinity of Meadville only two, I believe, were taken. Titusville 

 and Oil City and the intervening eighteen miles up Oil creek and its 

 branches seem to have been the points where they were seen in greatest 

 number. A published report from the former place states that ' ten or 

 twelve White Swans were captured alive ' near East Titusville. The 

 report from the Bouseville (three miles above Oil City, on Cherry run) 

 correspondent of the Oil City Derrick states : ' A flock of from thirty- 

 three to thirty-five American or Whistling Swans surprised the inhabi- 

 tants of Plumer on Saturday forenoon by alighting in the waters of 

 Cherry run. One of the swans was almost immediately shot at and 

 killed, and, to the surprise of the now large crowd of men and boys, the 

 remainder of the flock, on account of the ice accumulating on their 

 wings, was unable to fly, and a general rush was then made for the 

 poor birds, and twenty-five were captured alive by the eager fellows. 

 Some have them yet alive, but many were killed for their feathers and 

 flesh. The remaining eight or ten birds finally managed with great 

 difficulty to arise. One, however, soon alighting in the midst of Bouseville 

 village in Cherry run, was soon killed by Dave Phillips, the balance flying 

 a little further, alighting in Oil creek. A general stampede of men and 

 boys now took place, the greater part armed with some weapon of war- 

 fare ; but Charley Clark, a noted sportsman and accurate shot, led the 

 van, and was successful in laying over two of the splendid birds, and 

 badly wounding a third, at the first shot. He afterward shot the third 

 and fourth, and the vociferous crowd returned to town, four men bearing 

 the burdens of the victor's spoils. The larger of the birds shot by Clark 

 was a magnificent creature, measuring fifty-one inches from tip of bill 

 to tail, and eighty-six inches in extent, and weighing over sixteen 

 pounds ; it is said that the one shot by Phillips was larger, weighing- 

 twenty pounds." 



