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THE DOMESTIC SWAN. 



THE DOMESTIC SWAN. 

 " Carmina jam moriens canit exequialia cygnus." 



Ovid. 



In the whole catalogue of British birds there is 

 not one to be found more graceful and majestic 

 than our common domestic swan. With me it 

 is a particular favourite. Being quite out of 

 harm's way, my swans become much tamer than 

 they are wont to be at other places ; and as 

 every window of the house bears upon the 

 water which flows around the island, there is 

 the finest opportunity possible of observing the 

 habits of these birds, whose movements are so 

 ornamental to it, and so attractive to spectators. 



The male and female are so alike in colour 

 and in plumage, that were it not for a trifling 

 difference in size, and in the red of the beak, it 

 would be a difficult task to distinguish the one 

 from the other. The snow-white feathers in 

 the wing receive additional beauty by the mus- 

 cular power which the swan possesses of raising 

 them without extending the wing itself. The 

 appearance of orange colour on the heads of 



