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the head and upper pail of the neck behind 
brown : the under parts white tinged with 
rufous : the lower part of the neck behind, 
the upper parts of the body, scapulars, co- 
verts, and tail cinereous grey. The beak 
flesh colour at the base. 
In the month of August these birds 
loose their feathers to such a degree as not 
to be able to fly. The natives of Iceland, 
Kamtschatka, and other northern nations 
at that season, resort in great numbers to 
the places where they most abound ; ac- 
companied with dogs, &c. trained to the 
sport. These dogs are taught to seize the 
Swans by their long necks, which causes 
them to loose their equilibrium and become 
an easy prey. By this means vast numbers 
are taken every year. 
The flesh is highly esteemed by those 
people as a delicious food, as are also 
their eggs. The skin of the legs and feet, 
are taken off entire and converted into 
purses, &c. The skins with the down on, 
are sewed together and made into gar- 
ments of various kinds. The American 
Indians sometimes weave the down as barl>- 
