438 



In Southern Germany the Whooper is found now and again on passage and in winter. 

 Dr. A. Fritsch says (J. f. O. 1872, p. 366) that it is of but rare occurrence in Bohemia in autumn 

 and winter. Brownish-coloured young as well as old birds have been killed on the Sternteich 

 near Abtsdorf, on the Iser near Jung-Bunzlau, on the Elbe near Podebrad, on the pond near 

 Blatna, and, further, near Karlsbad, Nimburg, Frauenberg, and other places. It is occasionally 

 seen in winter in Styria; and Messrs. Danford and Harvie- Brown say (Ibis, 1875, p. 426) that it 

 is rarer than Cygnus olor in Transylvania ; Herr Csato and Buda Adam each shot one in October 

 1861 in the Strell valley ; Von Tschusi-Schmidhofen states that several young Whoopers were 

 killed in the vicinity of Salzburg about the middle of February 1872, and that there is one 

 specimen in the museum of that town; Dr. Finsch writes (J. f. O. 1857, p. 386) that it is 

 " abundant on the Danube and Black Sea in winter, and occurs in thousands at Varna ;" and 

 Messrs. Elwes and Buckley speak of it as being a winter visitant to Turkey, and tolerably 

 plentiful in suitable localities. They shot one out of a flock near Kustendji on the 13th April. 

 It is a winter visitant to Greece ; and Lord Lilford found it in Corfu and Epirus, where it is not 

 uncommon in severe winters. It occurs also on the coasts of Asia Minor, and was met with in 

 Palestine by Canon Tristram, who writes (Ibis, 1868, p. 327) : — " A fine adult specimen of Cygnus 

 ferns was brought to me in the flesh at Jerusalem on December 26th, through the kindness of 

 Dr. Chaplin, our medical missionary there. It had been shot on the Pool of Solomon two or 

 three days before. I believe this is by far the most southern locality yet quoted for the species. 

 I found, however, that the Swan was known by name and sight to our Arabs, who of course did 

 not discriminate the species." 



The Whooper certainly winters as far south as North Africa ; for Captain Shelley records it 

 as a visitant at that season in Egypt, and Von Heuglin states that it occasionally visits the 

 lagoons of Lower Egypt during winter, but is less numerous there than Cygnus olor. Loche 

 also writes that it visits the Algerian lakes pretty frequently, though it remains there only for a 

 short time. 



In Asia the Whooper is found as far east as Japan. Severtzoff met with it on passage in 

 Turkestan ; and Mr. Blanford, who met with it in Persia, says (E. Pers. ii. p. 304) : — " I procured 

 a young specimen ; but I believe it belongs to this species. Swans, as Pallas has already noted, 

 abound on the Caspian in winter ; and I am told that on the Murdab, the great backwater 

 between Eesht and Enzeli, thousands are sometimes to be seen. In the depths of winter, when 

 the northern part of the Caspian, near the mouth of the Volga, is frozen, all the birds fly south ; 

 and in the inlets near Enzeli, where frosts are unknown, all the swimmers and waders collect, it 

 is said, in immense quantities, promising grand sport and many interesting captures to any one 

 who will pass January and February at Eesht or Enzeli. These places are easily accessible and 

 fairly civilized." It is said to have occurred in Nepal, but has not been otherwise recorded from 

 India. It is, however, tolerably common in Siberia. Von Middendorff met with the Whooper on 

 the 29th May on the Taimyr river in 74° N. lat., and on the 27th of that month on the Boganida. 

 It breeds up to 74^° N. lat. On the 8th August he met with it on the Great Schantar Island. 

 Both Von Schrenck and Dr. Radde met with it on the Lower Amoor ; and the latter says that it 

 is as common as Bewick's Swan in the elevated steppes of Dauria, and it is especially numerous 

 on the Central Onon and Upper Argunj, at Abagaitui and Kailassutui, in spring. The first 



