THE WILD SWAN. 175 



when sailing before the wind, that the difficulty of 

 shooting it is extremely great. Hearne asserts that it 

 is " frequently necessary to take sight ten or twelve 

 feet before their bills ;" and adds that " in a brisk gale, 

 they cannot fly at a less rate than a hundred miles an 

 hour, but when flying across the wind or against it, 

 they make but a slow progress, and are then a noble 

 shot." They are much sought after in those countries 

 where they are abundant, for their flesh, their quill- 

 feathers, and their down. The former, according to the 

 author just quoted, " is excellent eating, and, when 

 roasted, is equal in flavour to young heifer beef, and 

 the cygnets are very delicate." It is possible that in 

 this instance the keen appetite of the sportsman may 

 have imparted a relish to his game which it did not 

 intrinsically possess. In Europe it is little sought after, 

 and although cygnets are occasionally served upon the 

 tables of the great, the rarity of the dish may be sup- 

 posed to add not a little to its actual flavour, which 

 to the taste of beef joins somewhat of that which is 

 common to ducks and most of our waterfowl. 



The Wild Swans arrive in Hudson's Bay as early as 

 March, preceding all the other species of waterfowl. 

 While the rivers remain frozen, they frequent the falls 

 and rapids, where they are often shot by the Indians in 

 large numbers. They are also pursued by the natives 

 in the moulting time, which takes place in July and 

 August ; but it is extremely difficult to catch them, as 

 they run with great swiftness on the surface of the 

 water. In Iceland and Kamtschatka they are hunted 

 at this time with dogs and horses, and frequently dis- 

 tance the latter, but are eventually pulled down by the 

 dogs, which seize them by the neck and overbalance 

 them. The female usually builds her nest on an island 

 in the centre of a lake, and lays from five to seven 



