126 cassell's book of birds. 



may be seen in February upon ponds of fresh water, and there they remain until the end of April, 

 when most of them resort to more elevated situations ; some of them, however, remain in the valleys. 

 A small pond or lake is always selected as a breeding-place, and if a pair should not be able to 

 appropriate a whole pond, they take possession of part as their own peculiar property, and resolutely 

 drive away all intruders. The nest, which is sometimes raised upon an island, but often floats upon 

 the water, is generally a huge structure, built of reeds, rushes, sedge, and water-plants, and its cavity 

 carefully lined with down. About the end of April or the beginning of May (probably much earlier 

 in more southern latitudes) the female lays from five to seven yellowish white, greenish, or brownish 

 yellow eggs, from which the young come forth during the first days of July. The faithful husband 

 during the whole period of incubation keeps his partner company, lying upon the nest, but taking no 

 part in the brooding. Towards the middle of October the whole family may be seen swimming about 

 together, the young ones being by that time nearly fully fledged. Throughout the north these Swans 

 are eagerly sought for, and many are mercilessly destroyed during the moulting season. When 

 moulting their wing-quills they are attacked in their breeding-ponds by means of small boats, and 

 numbers of them killed with sticks. Both old and young are at this season very fat, and are in much 



request for the table. 



BEWICK'S SWAN. 



Bewick's Swan {Cygnus Bewickii) is considerably smaller than the species above described. In 

 this bird the neck is very slender, the bill much raised at its base, and the tail composed of eighteen 

 feathers ; in other respects it resembles the Cygnus musicus. The plumage is at first grey, afterwards 

 white, tinged with rust-red on the crown of the head and under surface of the body, and ultimately 

 becomes of a pale white. Bewick's Swan is an annual visitor to Great Britain, and is most numerously 

 seen during severe and long-continued snowstorms, when it resorts to the open sea-coast of estuaries. 

 Mr. Blackwall, describing a flock of these birds seen in Lancashire, says, " They were observed flying 

 at an elevation not exceeding fifty yards above the surface of the earth. They flew in a line, taking a 

 northerly direction, and their loud calls, for they were very clamorous when on the wing, might be 

 heard to a considerable distance. One individual of this flock having been wounded, was placed on a 

 reservoir, near the place where it fell. When on the water it had somewhat the appearance of a 

 Goose, being almost wholly devoid of that grace and majesty by which the Mute Swan is so 

 distinguished. It appeared to be a shy and timid bird, and could only be approached by stratagem, 

 when it intimated its apprehension by uttering its call. This bird carefully avoided the company of a 

 Mute Swan that occupied the same piece of water." According to Yarrell, some other specimens taken 

 near Belfast were very gentle and timid, and never attempted to molest the Wild Fowl contained "in 

 the same pond, though all were their inferiors both in size and strength. 



This Swan appears by preference to spend the greater portion of its time on land. Its voice, 

 which is chiefly heard during the migratory season, is a low deep whistle, once repeated. Temminck 

 states that this species breeds in Iceland in May, and has been seen in Picardy during the winter. 



THE BLACK-NECKED SWAN. 

 The Black-necked Swan ( Cygnus nigricollis) is a beautiful bird, inhabiting South America, and 

 recognisable from its northern brethren by the shortness of its wings, which do not extend beyond the 

 base of the tail, which is composed of eighteen feathers, and by the black in its plumage. In this 

 bird the entire body is white with black head and neck, the former enlivened by a white line upon the 

 brow. The eye is brown, and the beak lead-grey • the cere and bare cheek-stripes are blood-red, and 

 the feet pale red. This species is forty-eight inches long, the wing measures fourteen, and the tail from 

 six to seven inches. The habitat of the Black-necked Swan is limited to the most southern portion of 



