Class II. W I L D S W A N. $63 



their quitting the iflanci, they prefage good wea- 

 ther ; on their arrival, they announce bad. Thefe, 

 as well as moil other water fowl, prefer for the 

 purpofe of incubation thofe places that are left 

 frequented by mankind : accordingly we find that 

 the lakes and forefts of the diftant Lapland are filled 

 during fummer with myriads of water fowl, and 

 there fwans, geefe, the cluck tribe, goofanders, 

 divers, &c. pafs that feafon ; but in autumn return 

 to us, and to other more hofpitable fhores *. 



This fpecies is lefs than the tame fwan : length Descrif. 

 five feet to the end of the feet ; to that of the tail 

 four feet ten inches : extent of wing feven feet 

 three inches: weight from thirteen to fixteen 

 pounds. The lower part of the bill is black -, the 

 bafe of it, and the fpace between that and the eyes 1 , 

 is covered with a naked yellow fkin ; the eyelids 

 are bare and yellow : the whole plumage in old 

 birds is of a pure white ; the down is very loft and 

 thick : the legs black. The cry of this kind is 

 very loud, and may be heard at a great diltance, 

 from which it is fometimes called the Hooper. 



* Flora Lapponka, 273. Oeuvres de M. de Maupertuis. 

 Tom. 111. p. 141, 175. According to the obfervation of 

 that iliuitrious writer, the Lap/and lakes are filled with the 

 lawes of the Knat (culex pipiens. Lin.fyji. 602.) or fome 

 other infect, that depofites its eggs in the water ; which being 

 an agreeable food to water fowl, is another caufe of their 

 refort to thofe deferts. 



Vol. II. P p te 



