204 HABITS OF THE SWAN. 



extravagancies of romance — a propensity not altogether 

 unknown in these our latter times." 



Yarrell has remarked, in his " History of British Birds," 

 that " the young, when hatched, which is generally about 

 the end of May, are conducted to the water by the 

 parent bird, and are even said to be carried there : it is 

 certain that the cygnets are frequently carried on the 

 back of the female when she is sailing about in the water. 

 This I have witnessed on the Thames, and have seen the 

 female, by raising her leg, assist the cygnets in getting 

 upon her back.'' Mr. Jesse, also, in his " Gleanings in 

 Natural History," correctly observes : " Where the stream 

 is strong the old swan will sink herself sufficiently low 

 to bring her back on a level with the water, when the 

 cygnets will get upon it, and in this manner are conveyed 

 to the other side of the river, or into stiller water." 



From a passage in King Henry VI. we may presume 

 that this habit had been noticed by Shakespeare : — 



" So doth the swan her downy cygnets save, 

 Keeping them prisoner underneath her wings." 



Henry VI. Part I. Act v. Sc. 3. 



By the expression " underneath her wings " we may 

 understand under shelter of her wings, which she arches 

 over her back whereon the young are seated. 



This habit of carrying the young has been observed in 

 the case of many other water birds. Mr. W. Proctor, of 



