TRUMPETER SWAN. 199 



preclude its propagation in Britain, has not yet been 

 ascertained; since no living specimen, so far as we can 

 learn, has yet been brought to England : the experiment, 

 at all events, is worth trying ; particularly as, from its 

 being, according to Dr. Richardson, the most common 

 swan in the interior of the fur countries, specimens 

 might be procured with facility through the Hudson's 

 Bay company. 



This is probably one of the two sorts of swan which 

 Lawson observes are found in Carolina; the largest of 

 which he calls, from its note, the Trumpeter. Hearne 

 also says, — " I have heard them, in serene evenings, after 

 sunset, make a noise not very unhke that of a French- 

 horn, but so entirely divested of every note that consti- 

 tuted melody, that I have often been sorry it did not 

 forebode their death." Dr. Richardson is of opinion 

 that the greater part of the swanskins annually imported 

 by the Hudson's Bay company, belong to this species. 

 It breeds as far south as lat. 6l°, but principally within 

 the arctic circle ; and, in its migrations, generally pre- 

 cedes the geese a few days. 



The trumpeter swan is about ten inches longer than 

 the Cygniis ferns : its bill resembles that bird, also, in 

 its general form ; but it is rather more lengthened and 

 depressed. The general colour of the plumage is white ; 

 the forehead alone being tinged with orange red : the 

 bill, cere, and legs are entirely black; and the third pri- 

 mary quill is the longest. A fold of the windpipe enters 

 a protuberance on the dorsal or interior side of the 

 sternum, at its upper part, which is wanting in our two 

 species of British swans, the ferus and Bewickii ; in 

 other respects, the windpipe is distributed through the 

 sternum almost the same as in the latter of these birds. 

 Dr. Richardson refers to a skin belonging to the Zoolo- 

 gical Society, as having the crown and cheeks bright 

 chestnut. 



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