on the Tragedy of the Whistling Swans at Niagara Falls. 93


evident distress being swept by the current and floating ice to¬

wards the bridge. Helpless after their terrible plunge over the

Canadian Falls the unfortunate birds were indeed in a terrible

plight. Many had been killed outright, many others badly

injured were unable to recover themselves, they were prisoners

and, conscious of their helplessness, their cries were heart-rend¬

ing. Soon the news of the catastrophe spread, the Game Laws of

Ontario permitted the taking of Swans until April 30th, and it

was not long until men and boys, armed with guns and sticks,

hastened to the scene and rapidly completed—as Mr. Savage

says—the closing scene of nature’s great tragedy—the sacrifice

of the Swans. The number of Swans taken on March 13th was

102; the following day some more were taken, only about 15a

yards from the Horse-shoe Falls. On the 22nd, twelve more came

over the Falls, nearly all of these were captured, three were seen

to rise from the broken waters between the base of the Falls and

the ice-bridge and fly back over the Falls into the river.


It was thought that several of the birds would have re¬

covered had they been left alone, but the destruction was com¬

pleted by the watchers on the shore-line. Mr. Savage secured

one specimen in a stunned condition, which he sent to the Zoo in

Buffalo, where under the care of the Curator it finally recovered,

and is now a celebrated specimen, at home on the placid waters

of Park Lake.


Mr. Fleming secured thirty-three specimens which he care¬

fully measured, adding the sterna to his collection. An exami¬

nation of the Swans showed that several had broken wings, others

had clavicles dislocated, and oneortwo had the sternum crushed,

while iu a number the lungs were markedly congested.


The birds were iu good condition, but the stomachs were

empty. The weights varied from 12 to 18 lbs. Many were first

year birds, while some were very old. One specimen, a female,

and not the largest, measured 51^ inches in length and 81 inches

from tip to tip of its extended wings. A friend writing me from

Buffalo informs me that to his knowledge 152 birds were taken.

The total weight of the victims exceeded one ton.


It was a matter of much regret that no effort was made to

protect or aid the unfortunate victims : it is reasonable to believe

that many might have been rescued.



