ANATin.E- THE SWAXS — OLOR. 



425 



Mr. YarrcU states that a pair of tlu'H«! Swans bred on oiio of the islands at the 

 Gardens of tho Zooloj^ical Society, in the sunimtT of IKW. As the Cyjrnets, wlicn 

 only a fow days old, were sunnin),' tiifnisclvcs on the niaij,'in of an island cdose to 

 dcci) water, a Carrion (!row made a descent and stmt k at one of tlicni. The nuile 

 iiird vMiw to the rescue in an instant, and seizing the Crow with his beak, pulled it 

 into the water, and in spite of its resistanct* held it there until it was drowned. 



In the eastern parts of Europe tiiis species ranges from the lakes of Siberia in 

 summer to tiie Caspian Sea in winter. It is said to fly, in the manner of tht! Wild 

 (foose, in wedge-shaped Hocks, uttering, as it moves, a tine melodious clang; and this 

 is all which can be put forward on its belialf to support its claim to having a musical 

 voice. Its weight varies, in different individuals of this species, from thirteen to 

 twenty-one pounds. 



The Wild Swan builds on the ground in secluded and marshy places, the nest being 

 large, and composed of rushes and coarse lierl)age. The .egg is described l)y Yarrell as 

 Ix'ing of a uniform ])ale brownisli white, and measuring four inches and one line; in 

 length by two inches and eight lines in breadth. The incubation of this Swan lasts 

 forty-two days. Its food consists of grasses, weeds, routs, and the seeds of ])lants. 



According to Wiieelwrigiit tiiis bird is only seen during the periods of migration 

 in the southern and midland districts of Scandinavia. It breeds up in Lapland, gen- 

 erally in the retired Fell lakes. The eggs an^ seven in nund)er, in color a brown 

 yellow, rather shorter and tliicker than those of the common tanu* Swan. Many birds 

 of this species remain in the Sound, otf the southern coast of Sweden, during mild 

 winters ; but none are seen at this season off the north coast of Finland. An (!gg in 

 my cabinet, taken by Proctor in Iceland in 1841, is of a dark ivory color, and measures 

 i.liO by 2.yO inches. 



Olor columbianuB. 



THE WHISTLING SWAN. 



? Cuffnus ferua, Baktii. Trav. 17!»1, 294 (tiiny be 0. bttceinnfor). 



Ci/niiiis vutsicus, lioNAT. Syiio|>. 1828, .379 (nee riKciisr. 1809). 



Ci/gmis Bewicki, S\v. & liiiii. F. IJ. A. II. 1831, 405 (iii'i' Yaiik.). — Nurr. Man. II. 1834, 372. 



t'ljgnus ferns, Nurr. Man. II. 1834, 36(i (iiei; Lkacii, ISlC). 



Cjignus americniiiin, Siiaki'I.k.ss, DoiiRlity's Cab. N. H. I. 1830, 185, pi. 10. — AuD. Oni. Hiog. V. 



1839, 1.33, |.I. 411 ; .Synop. 1839, 274 ; B. Am. VI. 1843, 226, j.l. 384. — Baiup, B. N. Am. 



1858, 758 ; Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, no. 561 a. — CoUKs, Key, 1872, 281 j Clicck List, 1873, no. 



477 ; B. N. W. 1874, 545. 

 Olor amcn'cnnu.i, GiiAV, Cat. Brit. Mus, 1844, 131. — Bonai'. Compt. Rend. XLIII. 1856. — Ridow. 



Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, no. 588. 

 Anas columhiiiHUs, Oiin, fiulhrio's Gcog. 2il Am. ed. 1815, 319. 

 Cijijiius colnmhimuts, CouKs, Bull. U. .S, Oeol. & Gcogr. Surv. Terr. 2d series, no. 6, 1876, 444 ; Check 



List, 2d cd. 1882, no. 689. 

 Olor columbianiis, Stf.jn. Proii. T. S. Nat. Mus. Vol. 5, 1882, 210. 



Hab. The whole of Noilli America, breeding far north ; accidental in Scotland. 



Rp. Char. Tail usually of twenty I'eatliers ; bill not longer than the head. Adult: Entire 

 plumage pure while, the head, sometimes the neck, or even entire under parts, tinged with rusty. 

 Bill, tarsi, and feet deep black, the bare loral skin usually marked by an oblong spot of orange 

 or yellow (dull pale reddish, yellowish, or whitish in the skin); iris brown. Young: Light 

 lilnmbeous, paler beneath, the fore jiart and top of the head tinged with reddish brown. Bill 

 reddish fleah-color, dusky at the li]) ; feet tlull yellowish flesh-color, or grayish. 



Total length, about 53.00-55.50 inches ; extent about 7.00 feet ; wing, 21.50-22.00 inches ; 

 culmeii, 3.82-4.20 ; tarsus, 4.06-4.32 ; middle toe, 5.40-5.90. 



VOL. I. — 54 



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