182 



THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY 



lakes and rivers in about the latitude of Hudson Bay, (60°) 

 where they remain preparing for a departure for the win- 

 ter, until October, when they collect in flocks of twenty 

 or thirty, and seizing favourable weather, with the wind 

 not opposed to the direction of their flight, they mount 

 high in the air, form a prolonged wedge and with loud 

 screams depart for more genial climes. When making either 

 their semi-annual transmigration, or on shorter expeditions, 

 an occasional scream equal to '' how do you all come on 

 behind" issues from the leader, which is almost immediately 

 replied to by some posterior Swan with an "all's well" 

 vociferation. When the leader of the party becomes fa- 

 tigued with his extra duty of cutting the air, he falls in 

 the rear and his neighbour takes his place. When mounted, 

 as they sometimes are, several thousand feet above the earth, 

 with their diminished and delicate outline hardly percepti- 

 ble against the clear blue of heaven, this harsh sound soften- 

 ed and modulated by distance, and issuing from the immense 

 void above, assumes a supernatural character of tone and 

 impression, that excites, the first time heard, a strangely pe- 

 culiar feeling. 



In flying, these birds make a strange appearance; their 

 long necks protrude and present, at a distance, mere lines 

 with black points, and occupy more than one half their 

 whole length, their heavy bodies and triangular wings 

 seeming but mere appendages to their immense projections 

 in front. 



When thus in motion, their wings pass through so few 

 degrees of the circle, that, unless seen horizontally, they 

 appear almost quiescent, being widely different from the 

 heavy semi-circular sweep of the Goose. The Swan, when 

 migrating, with a moderate wind in his favour, and mount- 

 ed high in the air, certainly travels at the rate of one hun- 

 dred miles or more an hour. I have often timed the flight of 

 the Goose, and found one mile a minute a coinmon rapidity, 

 and when the two birds, in a change of feeding ground, 

 have been flying near each other, which I have often seen, 

 the Swan invariably passed with nearly double the velocity. 



The Swan in travelling from the northern parts of Ame- 

 rica to their winter residence, generally keep far inland, 

 mounted above the highest peaks of the Alleghany, and 

 rarely follow the water courses like the Goose, which usual- 

 ly stop on the route, particularly, if they have taken the 

 sea board. The Swan rarely pause on their migrating 

 flight, unless overtaken by a storm, above the reach of 

 which occurrence, they generally soar. They have been 

 seen following the coast in but very few instances. They 

 arrive at their winter homes, which is a belt crossing the 

 whole continent, and extending froin the latitude of 40° to 

 Florida, and even to the West India Islands and Mexico, in 

 October and November, and immediately take possession of 



their regular feeding ground. They generally reach these 

 places in the night, and the first signal of their arrival at 

 their winter abode, is a general burst of melody, mak- 

 ing the shores ring for several hours with their vocife- 

 rating congratulations, whilst making amends for a long 

 fast, and pluming their deranged feathers. From these lo- 

 calities, they rarely depart, unless driven farther south by in- 

 tensely cold weather, until their vernal excursion. When the 

 spring arrives, a similar collection offerees as at the north, 

 takes place in March, and, after disturbing the tranquil 

 bosom of the water for a night, by incessant washing and 

 dressing, and alarming the quiet neighbourhood by a con- 

 stant clatter of consulting tongues, they depart for the north 

 about daylight with a generaiyez<-</e-yo(e of unmusical screams. 

 The Chesapeake Bay is a great resort for Swans durino- 

 the winter, and whilst there, they form collections of from 

 one to five hundred on the flats, near the western shores, 

 and extend from the outlet of the Susquehannah river, 

 almost to the Rip Raps. The connecting streams also pre- 

 sent fine feedins grounds. 



They always select places where they can reach their 

 food by the length of their necks, as they have never, so 

 far as I can learn, been seen in this part of the world, to 

 dive under the water, either for food or safety. Hearne 

 (Jour. Frozen Ocean,) says, that, at Hudson's Ba}^, " by div- 

 ing, and other manoeuvres, it is impossible to take them by 

 the hand when moulting." I have often seated myself for 

 hours, within a short distance of several hundred Swans, 

 to watch their habits and manners, and never saw one pass 

 entirely under the water, though they will keep the head 

 beneath the surface for five minutes at a time. C. L. Buona- 

 parte, Synop, Birds, U. States, in describing the genus 

 Cygnus says, "from their conformation and lightness of 

 the plumage, they are unable to sink the body." 



The food they are most partial to, is the canvass back grass, 

 (Valisneria americaiia,) worms, insects and shell-fish, 

 never I believe, touching fish, however hardly pressed for 

 support. The Geese and Swans frequently feed, but never 

 fly, together. 



These birds are so exceedingly watchful, that if there are 

 but three of them feeding together, one will generally be 

 on guard, and when danger approaches, there is some mute 

 sign of alarm, for I have never heard a sound at such times. 

 However much noise had been made before, the in- 

 stant an alarm occurs, there is perfect silence, their heads are 

 erected, a moment's examination determines the course, 

 when, if the case be not too urgent, they depend on swim- 

 ming, if escape be necessary. They rarely fly even from 

 the pursuitof a boat, unless very closely followed, and when 

 they do arise from the water, either for escape or from 

 choice, it is generally with a scream, and when alighting, 



