THE SWAN'S NEST. 205 



Durham, speaking of the habits of the horned grebe 

 (Podiceps comutus), as observed by him in Iceland, says : — 

 " One day, having seen one of these birds dive from its 

 nest, I placed myself with my gun at my shoulder, waiting 

 its reappearance. As soon as it emerged I fired and killed 

 it, and was surprised to see two young ones, which it 

 seems had been concealed beneath the wings of the parent 

 bird, drop upon the water. I afterwards shot several other 

 birds of this species, all of which dived with their young 

 under their wings. The young were placed with their 

 heads towards the tail, and their bills resting on the back 

 of the parent bird." 



But to return to the swan : — 



" For all the water in the ocean 

 Can never turn a swan's black legs to white, 

 Although she lave them hourly in the flood." 



Titus Androniais, Act iv. Sc. 2. 



" I have seen a swan 

 With bootless labour swim against the tide, 

 And spend her strength with overmatching waves." 

 Henry VI. Part III. Act i. Sc. 4. 



Those who are familiar with the late Mr. Wolley's 

 sketch of the wild swan's nest, published by Professor 

 Newton in the " Ootheca Wolleyana " (Part I. Plate 9), 



