THE DOMESTIC SWAN. 401 



white on their front is only half as much as that which is seen on 

 the front of the gander, whilst their necks are brown in lieu of the 

 coal-black colour which appears on the neck of the goose. Their 

 breasts, too, are of a dusky colour, whilst the breast of the Bernacle 

 is black, and that of the Canadian white ; and throughout the whole 

 of the remaining plumage, there may be seen an altered and modified 

 colouring not to be traced in that of the parent birds. I am writing 

 this in the middle of February. In a fortnight or three weeks more, 

 as the breeding season approaches, perhaps my little Mopsus and 

 his beauteous Nisa may try their luck once more, at the bole of the 

 superannuated cherry-tree. I shall have all in readiness, and shall 

 be glad to see them. I certainly acted rashly, notwithstanding ap- 

 pearances, in holding this faithful couple up to the ridicule of visitors 

 who accompanied me to the spot where the novel incubation was 

 going on. I have had a salutary lesson, and shall be more guarded 

 for the future in giving an opinion. Information is always desirable, 

 and is doubly satisfactory when accompanied by a demonstration. 

 Nine times out of ten, that from the close is to be preferred to that 

 from the closet. In the present instance, my speculation that a 

 progeny could not be produced from the union of a Bernacle gander 

 with a Canada goose has utterly failed. I stand convinced by a 

 hybrid, reprimanded by a gander, and instructed by a goose. 



THE DOMESTIC SWAN. 



" Carmina jam moriens canit exequialia cygnus." 



OVID. 



IN the whole catalogue of British birds, there is not one to be found 

 more graceful and majestic than our common domestic swan. With 

 me it is a particular favourite. Being quite out of harm's way, my 

 swans become much tamer than they are wont to be at other places ; 

 and as every window of the house bears upon the water which flows 

 around the island, there is the finest opportunity possible of observ- 



2 C 



