The Swans. 33 



cold ; but if the eggs prove addled, the 

 hen will continue sitting for seven or 

 eight weeks, or till driven from her nest 

 by the marsh men. . . . Whilst the female 

 is laying her full complement of eggs 

 which she does at the rate of about ten 

 eggs in fourteen days the cock takes 

 charge of and broods them in her absence, 

 often most reluctantly resigning his post 

 on her return." 



Except that the wild Swan nests later 

 than the tame bird, the breeding habits of 

 the former do not seem to vary from 

 those of the latter. The number of eggs 

 laid varies from five to eight. In shape, 

 the eggs are rather pointed at both ends ; 

 the shell is rather rough, but has a fair 

 amount of gloss. They differ from the 

 eggs of the Whooper and Bewick's Swan 

 in being of a greenish grey colour. They 

 measure about 4*6 in length and about 

 2'95 in breadth. 



The adult bird has the whole plumage 

 pure white. Young birds are pale brown. 

 They complete the change into pure 

 white plumage when they are about fifteen 

 months old. 



The bill measures about 4*2 from the 

 forehead to the tip of the nail of the 

 upper mandible, but the edge of the fore- 



VOL. II. ^ 



