TAME CYGNETS 91 



of twenty summers, we noticed that it put down 

 its beak to taste the drops which had fallen after a 

 shower. Hitherto it had resolutely refused to drink 

 water, or to swallow anything, without compulsion. 

 But when we saw it drink we promptly got a saucer, 

 mixed a pinch of duck-meal with plenty of water, 

 put it down before the cygnet, and dipped its beak 

 in. It squeaked resentfully, but seemed to like it. 

 Presently it sat down before the saucer and bibbled 

 away as if it had known how to do it all its life. 

 From that hour there was no more trouble with it 

 so far as food was concerned, or indeed in any other 

 respect. It would take its saucer of duck-meal, 

 mixed very weak, always sitting down to eat it ; after 

 which it would get up, shake its ridiculous little 

 wings, and either walk off to its basket or sit down 

 by the person who had fed it. 



As probably very few people have had a cygnet 

 under close observation, not only by day but by 

 night, until it grew into a swan, perhaps the follow- 

 ing notes of its habits may be new. When hatched 

 it weighed about 6 oz. It did not begin to grow 

 for a week, and then gained about 4 oz. per week. 

 Until it weighed 6 Ib. its wing-bones were quite 

 rudimentary, like those of a penguin. The cygnet's 

 plumage j consisted entirely of soft grey down, and 

 the first signs of feathers appeared round its eyes. 

 It carefully oiled and brushed itself several times a 

 day, using not only its beak but the back of its head 

 as a brush, and rubbing every part of its body over 

 with this, especially the flanks. If it were too wet 



