487 



(Ibis, 1876, p. 437): — "Wild Swans were amongst the first migrants to appear; and the first 

 note we have of their arrival is dated the 11th May. They were afterwards seen occasionally 

 before the snow melted and up to the date of the breaking-up of the ice on the Zylma (20th 

 May), but not again until the 12th June, when, as we descended the river, a flock of five or six 

 were seen frequenting a lagoon, and were disturbed by the flag flying at our masthead as it 

 appeared above the fringing belt of willows. Afterwards we saw Swans occasionally along the 

 river, and numerously in the neighbourhood of Alexievka. We found a nest of eggs on an island 

 opposite Kuya on the 17th of June; and several nests were brought in by the Zyriani and by 

 our own men, who were expressly told off to find Swans' nests, and, if possible, to secure the 

 birds. In this latter part of their instructions, however, they signally failed ; and we had almost 

 despaired of identifying the rarer species and obtaining authentic eggs, although we felt tolerably 

 certain that Swans of two sizes did pass Ust Zylma on migration. We saw Wild Swans frequenting 

 the ' kourias ' and delta generally up to the last clays of our stay. As we left Alexievka on our 

 voyage home on board the ' Triad ' we met five boats returning from Varandai ; and we were told 

 by the Russian sailors on board the steamer which was towing us out of the river that they would 

 bring many furs and Swans' and other skins to the great markets. At the end of August boats 

 return from the still distant island of Kolguef with many Swans' skins and the down of various 

 species of wildfowl. We regretted that we could not have remained one day longer at Alexievka 

 to have seen these Varandai fishermen as they passed. These stores of furs and birds' skins, 

 reindeer's flesh and seal-oil find their way, for the most part, to the markets of Pinega, and even 

 as far as Nijni-Novgorod." 



In Poland the Whooper is said to be much less common than Cygnus olor. It is a regular 

 winter visitant to the coasts of North Germany, but rarely occurs on inland waters. Mr. Hugo 

 Schilling says (J. f. O. 1853, p. 376) it is often seen on the island of Rugen, appearing early in 

 October, and that in 1852 it was extremely numerous late in that month, so much so that the 

 oldest inhabitants did not recollect having seen such numbers as were then observed. Collin 

 says that it arrives in Denmark in October and remains there over winter, being found on the 

 coasts in flocks of from 50 to 100 individuals. It occurs in small flocks on the coasts of Holland 

 on passage ; and in severe seasons it visits the coasts of Belgium and France, straggling even as 

 far south as the marshes of Southern France which skirt the Mediterranean. Colonel Irby says 

 that he examined a specimen shot on the Guadalquivir, below Seville, where this Swan is said to 

 be common in some winters; and Mr. Howard Saunders states (Ibis, 1871, p. 396) that there is 

 a specimen in the museum of Palma de Majorca. 



Bailly says that it has occurred on several occasions in small flocks on the lakes of Savoy in 

 severe winters, and, although somewhat rare, examples occur nearly every winter in Italy ; and 

 Mr. A. B. Brooke writes (Ibis, 1873, p. 442) that he believes it is not uncommon in winter 

 in Sardinia, though there are no specimens in the Cagliari Museum. According to Mr. C. A. 

 Wright (Ibis, 1864, p. 155), "from time to time, at rare intervals, small flocks of Swans have 

 been seen flying along the coast of Malta in stormy weather ;" and he adds that he examined a 

 specimen, now in the Malta University Museum, which was shot there on the 27th of January 

 1847 ; but he subsequently (Ibis, 1874, p. 241) refers it to Cygnus olor, though he at the same 

 time states that both Cygnus olor and Cygnus musicus occur in Malta. 



6g 



