248 ZOOLOGY. 



Tlie coot or mud hen is common in marshes and laiies of tlie Territory, where it breeds, the 

 young being hatched early in June. It seems, however, Hke most water birds, to be much 

 more abundant in California during winter, and probably does not remain north of the 

 Columbia at that season. — C. 



ORDER VI. l\AiAiUilJil^. Swimming Bird. 

 Family ANATIDAE. 

 Sub-Family CYGNINAE.— T h e Swans. 



CYGNUS AMERICANUS, Sharp less. 



Aniericnn S^van* 



?Anm columUanus, Obd. Guthrie's Geog. 2d Am. Eel. II, 1815, 319 ; based on Whistling Swan, Lewis & Clavk.II, 192. 

 Cygnm amerkanus, Sharpluss, Doughty's Cab. N. II. 1, 1830, 185, pi. xvi. — Ib. Am. Jour. Sc. XXII, 1831, 83. — AuD. 

 Orn. Biog. V, 1839, 133; pi. 411.— Id. Syn. 2I4.~Ib. Birds Amer. VI, 1843,226; pi. 384 — 

 Baird, Gen. Rep. Birds, p. 758. 

 OloT amerkanm,JiofiKV. Consp. Anser. Comptes Rendus, XLIII, Sept. 22, 1856. 

 Oijgnus bewickil, Sw. F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 224. 

 Cygmis ferus, Nuttall, Man. II, 1834, 368. 

 Sr. Ch. — Bill as long as the head, broad, high at the base ; the feathers ending on the forehead in a semi-circular outline. 

 Nostrils far forward, the anterior extremity considerably more forward than half the commissure. Tail of 20 feathers. 



Adult pure white ; bill and legs black ; the former with an orange or yellowish spot in front of the eye. Less mature speci- 

 mens with the head above tinged with reddish brown. I/cngth, 55 inches; wing, 22.00; tarsus, 4.25; bill above, 4.20. 

 Hub. — Continent of North America. 



The whistling swan is quite abundant during winter on the Columbia, and is found rather 

 more sparingly on Puget Sound. A specimen obtained by me in the vicinity of Fort Steila- 

 coom, on the 24th of October, 1856, measured 53j inches. Extent, 85; wing, 21. This bird 

 is called by the Nisqually Indians Swo-haid. Its flesh is very delicate, and is excellent for the 

 table.— S. 



The American swan is common during winter along the Columbia river above its mouth, but 

 rarely seen near the sea-shore. — C. 



CYGNUS BUCCINATOR, Rich. 



Trtiini>ctei* .Swan. 



Cygnus buccinator, Rich. F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 464.— Nuttall, Man. II, 1834, 370.— AuD. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 536; 

 V, 114; pi. 406 and 376.— Ib. Syn. 74.— Ib. Birds, Amer. VI, 1843, 219; pi. 382, 383.--Baird, 

 Gen. Rep. Birds, p. 758. 

 Olor Imccinalor, Wagleb, Isis, 1832, 1234 —Bon. Comptes Rendus, XLIII, Sept. 1856. 



gp. Cu. Bill broad, longer than the head; the feathers ending on the forehead in a semi-eliptical outline The nostrils 



with the anterior extremity as far forward only as half the commissure. Tail of 24 feathers. 



Adult pure white throughout, the bill and legs entirely black; the bill without any red spot at the base. Less mature 

 specimens with the head above tinged with reddish brown. 



Length about 50 inches; wing, 24 00; bill above, 4.50; tarsus, 4.60. 

 jjab. — Western America, from the Mississippi valley to the Pacific. 



This bird is undoubtedly an inhabitant of Washington and Oregon Territories. It is, like 

 the preceding species, more abundant on the Columbia river than at Puget Sound. In the 



