Birds. 2823 



ner; their plumage (like the driven snow) contrasting beautifully with 

 the dark blue colour of the stream. When affrighted, they rose in a 

 mass, and as they proceeded, gradually fell into line, and kept up 

 a loud, sonorous, trumpet-like clang until they disappeared from view. 



Bewick's Swan (Cygnas Bewickii). Tn February, 1845, some 

 gentlemen were wild-fowl shooting on the Trent, and fell in with a 

 flock of eleven, two of which were brought down, and one escaped. 

 The bird which was killed measured 6 feet 3 inches between the tips 

 of the wings, and 4 feet from the bill to the end of the tail ; its weight 

 being 10 lbs. It was preserved by Mr. F. Green, Bloomgrove, Rad- 

 ford, Notts. 



Mute Swan {Cygnus olor). April 17, 1848. Two swans have built 

 a nest on a rushy creek near the Trent, and the female is now sit- 

 ting on eggs. The male amuses himself with rowing about the river, 

 but takes his turn at hatching the eggs occasionally. It is laughable 

 to see his anxiety when anything approaches the nest; he rows back- 

 wards and forwards in a most excited attitude, — his head thrown 

 proudly back between his wings, and bristling his feathers in a mena- 

 cing and most hostile manner, evidently considering himself monarch 

 of a domain where no other animated being has a right to intrude. 

 They have shown considerable forethought in building their nest, 

 which they have raised to a great height above the surrounding herb- 

 age, in order that the floods which flush the creek may not disturb it. 

 An unusually high flood occurring, I was anxious to see their fate, 

 as I supposed the waters would overwhelm their habitation, but 

 the swans had proved right in their calculation, and the nest stood 

 securely just above the level of the water. When swans have per- 

 ceived the river or pool rising by which their nest is situated, 

 they have been observed to instantly commence raising it with flags 

 and rushes, and make it so high that the water would not touch the 

 eggs. I have twice had an opportunity of witnessing a similar provi- 

 sion just before wet fell, after a dry season. Indeed, some people, 

 when they see a swan busied about the operation, go so far as to pro- 

 phecy that in less than twenty-four hours rain will fall. 



J. J. Briggs. 



Melbourne, Derbyshire. 



