194 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



sounded the alarm, but then they swam out a little, and kept watching 

 the punt until I got within range, when I fired, killing the Mallards, the 

 Duck getting away badly wounded, and when looking in the direction the 

 Duck went, I was surprised to see a pair of splendid Wild Swans about 

 half-a-mile away, resting in the shallow water on the point of a sand-bank, 

 and although with their heads up looking about them, were evidently not 

 frightened by the noise of the gun. Having picked up the Mallards, and 

 loaded quickly, I paddled on to the Swans, but was unable to get right on 

 to them, for a long sand-bank extended along the channel for half-a-mile 

 between me and them, and while trying to get round this, the broad- 

 side of the punt was in view of them for a long time, and made them so 

 wary, that when I got within 200 yards they left the point and swam into 

 deeper water. I then took a good look at them with my glass, and saw 

 they were evidently adult Bewick's, and when shortly after they rose and 

 began calling, their musical cry of " hong-ong-ong" proved them to be of 

 that species. After rising they flew further up the channel for nearly a 

 mile, and pitched alongside the bank, but as the tide was ebbing too strong 

 to work against it, I was obliged to leave them until tne return flood 

 later on. I then went on to Bartragh, and saw about 200 Wigeon feeding 

 along the edge of the Sloak Rock, but although I got within shot of a few 

 stragglers, I did not fire, expecting to get within range of the main flock, 

 but unfortunately a bird that was outside of them took alarm and sent them 

 all up. However, after circling round thoy all pitched again alongside the 

 opposite bank ; but although a number walked up to rest on the bank, 

 they did not let me come within range again, aud all went out to the bay 

 when I attempted to get near them. The tide was then flowing, so I turned 

 my attention to the Swans, which had then been resting on the bank for 

 nearly two hours ; so I quietly paddled up the channel, and saw the two 

 birds sitting on the sand about twenty yards from the water, one of them 

 apparently asleep, but the other on the watch, occasionally stretching up 

 his head and looking round. Seeing them so quiet I was confident of 

 getting a shot ; but unfortunately two Cormorants, taking alarm at the 

 punt, rose off the bank, and flying close over the Swans, roused them up, 

 and on looking at the approaching punt, they walked off the bank and 

 began to swim away. I still continued paddling, and when I got within 

 about 200 or 250 yards they rose, calling as they went, and pitched again 

 about a quarter of a mile further up, and again went on to the bank ; 

 when they settled down I again paddled up, but this time they did not let 

 me get within 300 yards when they rose and fled in the direction of 

 Killala. I was surprised at their being far wilder than either Ducks or J 

 Wigeon. They called on each occasion when rising, and it was the same 

 musical toned note ■■ hong-ong-ong," so very different in sound from 

 the " whoop, whoo-whoo" of Cygnus ferus. — Robert Warren (Moyview, 

 Ballina, Co. Mayo). 



