248 THE COMMON SWAN. 



dog, allows them now and then, in their gambols, to 

 fancy they are free, and to enjoy a sort of half-run, 

 half-fly, from the lawn into the water. Kindness, 

 comfort, and good feeding must be employed to keep 

 them at home as far as possible ; but the loss of the 

 last wing will not be enough to prevent their flight 

 It is recommended that the female be pinioned at the 

 wrist, the male at the elbow, trusting to their mutual 

 attachment to keep the less-maimed bird from desert- 

 ing her mate. But however it be done, let it be 

 set about in a workmanlike manner ; no chopping — 

 no hacking — no hewing — nor butchering. Many cyg- 

 nets are annually killed by the clumsy way in which 

 their wing is lopped off. They suffer from the shock 

 to their nervous system. 



A skillful operator will feel for the joint, divide the 

 skin, and turn the bone neatly out of the socket. He 

 should be allowed to shed just one drop of blood — no 

 more. I would be as hard upon him as Portia was 

 upon the flesh-cutting Jew — 



" This bond doth giye thee here no jot of blood ; 

 The words expressly are, a limb of swan , 

 Take then thy bond, take thou thy limb of swan ; 

 But, in the cutting it, if tho'n doat shed ; 



One drop of cygnine blood, thy clumsiness 

 Shall brand the name of ' Bungler' on thy back. 

 Therefore, prepare thee to cut off the limb, 

 Shed thou no blood ; nor cut thou less, nor more 

 But just the very limb ; if thou tak'st more 

 Or less, than just the limb, thou shalt bewail 

 The consequence." 



If any brook run into and from the pond where 

 they are to remain, their escape through that channel 

 must be prevented by netting, hurdles, pales, or other 

 fencing, which should be continued some distance in- 

 land, lest they should walk away, if they cannot swim 

 away. This precaution will be found particularly 

 necessary if there is any main stream in the immedi- 

 ate neighborhood. A feeding trough may be fixed for 

 them in the pond, in the part where it is most de- 

 sirable that they should be accustomed to display them- 

 selves. The trough must be placed in the pond on two 

 firm posts, within arm's length of the shore, raised high 



