324 THE GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL 



to differ from the Mute Swan in having the tubercle at the base 

 of the upper mandible smaller, the legs lead colour instead of 

 black. A further specific distinction was that the young birds 

 had a paler bill, and the plumage of the upper parts pure, unsullied 

 white. Although this bird received the trivial name of " Polish " 

 Swan it appears to have been confined to the British Islands, 

 with the exception of a single example captured on the Haarlem 

 Lake in Holland during December, 1840. The alleged charac- 

 ters of the " adult " appear only to depend on age — the older the 

 bird the larger the frontal tubercle, and the darker the legs. As 

 regards the white plumage of the young it appears to be nothing 

 but an exceptional albinism, the result probably of semi-domesti- 

 cation, and from a similar cause as that which has originated 

 white Ducks and poultry. 



Time during which the Mute Swan may be taken.— 

 August ist to March ist. 



Habits. — The Mute Swan is too well known in a domesticated 

 state to require any description of its habits in our islands. 

 There can be little doubt that a few really wild birds visit the 

 British Islands from time to time in winter, but it is utterly 

 impossible to identify them, as domesticated birds often wander 

 about a good deal from one sheet of water to another where they 

 are allowed to live unpinioned. In the northern portions of its 

 range the Mute Swan is a regular bird of passage, appearing in 

 its summer quarters in March, and leaving them with its brood 

 in October. Like its congeners, it migrates in flocks of varying 

 size, by day and by night, in the same wedge-shaped formations. 

 Its haunts in summer are large lakes, especially those that con- 

 tain islands with plenty of low cover, amongst which it can 

 make its nest safe from enemies. During winter wild Mute 

 Swans frequent the coast as much as their congeners do ; and in 

 India they haunt the tanks and lakes, but are rare visitors. The 

 flight of this bird is powerful and rapid, and the noise of the 

 mighty wings may be heard a long distance, especially across 

 water on a calm, still day. Although tame and confiding enough 

 with us in a semi-domesticated state, when wild it is excessively 

 shy and wary, rarely admitting of a close approach. When fired at, 

 however, instances are on record where the flock has returned 



