26 



THE WHISTLING SWAN ON NIAGARA RIVER 



went over the precipice from the upper river. They were seen 

 above the rapids before eleven o'clock on the morning of 

 March 15 th. 



After a long tiresome flight from Chesapeake Bay the open 

 wat^r of Niagara River would be a welcome sight to this ill- 

 fated flock of swans. Resting from their labors they probably 

 drifted down stream unsuspecting danger until too late to save 

 themselves from plunging into the turbulent waters of the Can- 

 adian Rapids. These rapids begin abruptly with a drop of 





1 



■ - . ■ • ■ _ -.._-. - m ■ - 



^y^y--T*.'*-^'* ^^r^^^J^Qi 





vv 



Canadian Rapids from ice fender of the Ontario Power Company 



about ten feet in a line running across the river from the head 

 of Goat Island to the gate house of the Ontario Power Com- 

 pany on the Canadian shore. I have watched gulls float down 

 over the crest and spring into the air from the descending 

 water. "Swan being so large and heavy cannot easily take 

 wing but are obliged to force themselves over the water against 

 the wind, by rapid and powerful beats of the wings and feet 

 until obtaining the requisite momentum, they are lifted into 

 the air".* When they reach this line of breakers they are prob- 



* "The Wildfowl of the United States", by Daniel Giraud Elliot. 



