52 
BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
with ice soon grew so exhausted that they settled into the nearest ponds 
and streams almost helpless. Generally a single one was seen in some 
mill-pond or creek, and the fowling-piece loaded with large shot, and 
not unfrequently the rifle, was used to bring to bag the noble game, 
though, considering the plight they were in, in all probability any one 
might have paddled up to the birds and taken them alive. In fact in a 
number of instances they were reported as thus taken alive. Large 
flocks were seen in some districts in the same pitiable condition. In 
close vicinity of Meadville only two, I believe, were taken. Titusville 
and Oil City and the intervening eighteen miles up Oil creek and its 
branches seem to have been the points where they Avere seen in greatest 
number. A published report from the former place states that ‘ ten or 
twelve White Swans were captured alive ’ near East Titusville. The 
report from the Rouseville (three miles above Oil City, on Cherry run) 
correspondent of the Oil City Derrick states : ‘ A flock of from thirty- 
three to thirty-five American or Whistling Swans surprised the inhabi- 
tants of Plumer on Saturday forenoon by alighting in the waters of 
Cherry run. One of the swans was almost immediately shot at and 
killed, and, to the surprise of the now large crowd of men and boys, the 
remainder of the flock, on account of the ice accumulating on their 
wings, Avas unable to fly, and a general rush was then made for the 
poor birds, and twenty-five were captured alive by the eager fellows. 
Some have them yet alive, but many were killed for their feathers and 
flesh. The remaining eight or ten birds finally managed with great 
difficulty to arise. One, however, soon alighting in the midst of Rouseville 
village in Cherry run, was soon killed by Dave Phillips, the balance flying 
a little further, alighting in Oil creek. A general stampede of men and 
boys noAV took place, the greater part armed with some weapon of war- 
fare ; but Charley Clark, a noted sportsman and accurate shot, led the 
van, and was successful in laying over two of the splendid birds, and 
badly wounding a third, at the first shot. He afterward shot the third 
and fourth, and the vociferous crowd returned to town, four men bearing 
the burdens of the victor’s spoils. The larger of the birds shot by Clark 
was a magnificent creature, measuring fifty-one inches from tip of bill 
to tail, and eighty-six inches in extent, and weighing over sixteen 
pounds ; it is said that the one shot by Phillips was larger, weighing 
twenty pounds.” 
