WHISTLING SWAN 



257 



1,360 mm.) ; spread of wings 85.84- 

 88.00 (2,180-2,235); weight 14-16 

 lbs. (6.34-7.25 kg.) (three speci- 

 mens); folded wing 20.75-22.50 

 inches (527-572 mm.); bill along 

 culmen 3.80-4.06 (96.5-103.0) ; 

 tarsus 4.18-4.54 (106.3-115.3) (five 

 specimens) . Females : Total length 

 48.25-51.50 inches (1,225-1,308 

 mm.); spread of wings 78.17- 

 83.00 (1,985-2,108); weight 12% 

 lbs. (5.67 kg.) (two specimens) ; 

 folded wing 20.35-21.60 inches 

 (517-5.48 mm.) ; bill along culmen 

 3.60-4.49 (91.4^114.0) ; tarsus 3.80- 

 4.52 (96.5-114.7) (five specimens) ; 

 all from California. Juvenile plum- 

 age: Pale dull gray, nearly white 

 beneath; head, neck and thighs 

 darkest, approaching lead-color; 

 head tinged with reddish brown; 

 lower surface with more or less 

 rusty feather-tipping; bill "red- 

 dish flesh -colour, " tip "dusky"; 

 feet ' ' dull yellowish flesh-colour ' ' 

 (Audubon, loc. cit.). Natal plum- 

 age: Not known to us. 



Marks foe field identifica- 

 tion — Similar to domesticated white 

 swans. Very large size, long neck 

 (as long as body), and pure white 

 plumage. Distinguished from adult 

 Trumpeter Swan at close range 

 by smaller size, shorter, broader 

 tipped bill, presence of yellowish 

 spots on each side of base of bill 

 in front of eye, and position of 

 nostril (hind border less than 2.35 

 inches, 59.7 mm., from tip of bill; 

 fig. 40). When on water neck 

 meets body at distinct angle so 

 that profile of bird resembles the 

 figure S (reversed) rather than 

 the letter S. The latter profile is 

 characteristic of certain foreign 

 swans commonly domesticated. 



Voice — A high flageolet-like 

 note ; varied murmurings from high 

 to low (Forbush, 1912, p. 194). 



Nest — Situated near water; a heap 

 vicinity, comprising grass, moss, and 

 times lined with dow^n. 



Fig. 40. Side of bill and head of 

 adult male Whistling Swan. Natural size. 



Note area between bill and eye, where 

 feathers are wanting, and that hind mar- 

 gin of nostril is less than 2.35 inches 

 from tip of bill. 



of rubbish gathered from the immediate 

 dead leaves (Nelson, 1887, p. 92); some- 



