BIRDS. 375 



hear a loud hooping cry, and notice a flight of birds of large 

 size, and of powerful pinions, passing over his head at a great 

 elevation, he will not fail to remember the Hooper, or Whistling 

 Swan (Cygnus ferus). In entire contradistinction to this 

 species, the one which is domesticated is termed the Mute 

 Swan ( C. olor] ; yet it is respecting this bird that the fable 

 became current, that it foretold its own death, and sung with 

 peculiar sweetness at its approach. Thus Shakspeare: 



' I will play the Swan, 



And die in music." 

 But, although the voice of the Swan is but little noticed, the 

 bird is not really mute, as its name would imply; the notes 

 are soft and low, and are described as " plaintive, and with 

 little variety, but not disagreeable."* The classical scholar 

 will call to mind the well-known line, in which the existence 

 of a Black Swan is spoken of in a manner which implies the 

 utter disbelief in the existence of such a bird; yet, among the 

 strange creatures which New Holland has sent to us, are 

 Black Swans: these are now distributed over many parts of 

 these kingdoms where aquatic menageries are established, 

 and form, by their dusty hue, a striking contrast to the 

 snowy tint of their conveners. 



Fig. 280. EIDER DUCK. 



The Sheldrake, the various species of Wild Ducks, with the 

 Teal and Widgeon, we must pass by. The Eider Duck 

 (Somateria mollissima, Fig. 280) deserves especial notice, as 



* Yarrell. 



