462 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



TRUMPETER- AND WH OOPER-S W A N S 



Tie trumpclcr u the bird in the foreground : the iu hooper is remarkable for its musical note, resembling the -word " ivhoop'' tjuiekly repeated 



They are tiny birds, resembling small ducks rather than geese, and dive admirably, a feat 

 which the larger species do not perform. 



The Swans are linked with the Geese through a very beautiful South American species 

 known as the COSCOROBA SwAN. It is the smallest of all the swans, pure white in colour, save 

 the tips of the greater wing-quills, which arc black, and the coral-red bill and feet. 



Of all the swans, probably the best known is the MUTE Sw.VN, the semi-domesticated 

 descendants of which are so common on ornamental waters. For hundreds of ^•ears the 

 latter were jealously guarded, none but the larger freeholders being allowed to keep them and 

 then not without a licence from the Crown ; with this licence was coupled an obli<^ation to 

 mark each swan with a particular mark, cut with a knife or other instrument through the skin 

 ot tile beak, whereby ownership might be established. 



It would seem that these swans and their descendants were not derived from the native 

 wild stock, but were introduced into England, it is said, from Cyprus bv Richard I At the 

 present day arge swanneries '■ have almost ceased to exist. Perhaps 'the largest is that of 

 ^'- J-''l ot Ichester, at Abbotsbury, near Weymouth. In 1878 between 1,300 and ,,400 



""'"■; ;7;" '" ^^' ^^^"^ ^'^^'•^- '^' --^ ^i"-^ ^ut latterly the number has been reduced to 

 about nail. 



Although swans do not perhaps stand so high in the general esteem as table delicacies 

 as wih our forefathers, U,ere are yet many who appreciate the flesh of this bird; but th 



fattened fo the table. Here from 70 to 200 cygnets-as the young sw^ans are called-- 

 eaught in he neighbouring rivers, are placed early in August, and fed upon cut Ira ' and 

 barley till Christmas, when they are fit for table, weighing, when '• dressed," about t lb 



