Professor Newton, writing to me in July 1859, says, “ I have been at the swannery at Abbotsbury — a very 
fine sight. There were upwards of eight hundred at the last counting.” The royalty belonged anciently 
to the abbot, since to the family of Strangeways, and now to the Earl of Ilchester. 
On the Thames and other rivers, great lakes, and ponds the Mute Swan commences its nest in March ; 
and by the middle of April the six or seven olive-white eggs are incubated. During this period the male 
is in constant attendance upon the female, occasionally taking her place upon the eggs, or guarding her 
with jealous care, giving chase and battle, if necessary, to CA^ery intruder. The nest is often placed in an 
exposed situation, on an island in j)reference to the riA'^er’s bank, is of large size, and constructed of herbage 
of \arious kinds, such as weeds, flags. See. sparingly lined Avith the soft feathers of the parent birds. 
If there be any unusual rise in the Avater, the female raises her eggs out of harm’s way by adding- 
fresh materials to the nest. In a month or thereabouts the cygnets are hatched and taken to the Avater, 
Avhere they usually swim on the lee side of the mother, and at this early period possess all the energies 
necessary for the continuance of their existence, SAvimming quickly, and feeding upon the tender succulent 
plants Avhich are pulled from the bottom by their parents. These downy cygnets, being extremely 
pretty and even graceful, are the admiration of all who see them. If they become fatigued, they scramble 
on the back of the mother and nestle among the secondary feathers, by Avhich means they obtain both 
warmth and shelter — a practice Avhich is continued for two or three Aveeks. Their colour at this time 
is a light bluish grey, Avith black beak and legs, a dress which is carried for about a month, Avhen a 
change begins to appear, and by the end of October they are clothed in Avhitey-broAvn feathers — a costume 
which is borne until the second year, Avhen these feathers are gradually shed and white ones take their 
place ; but the perfect plumage and the rich orange-colouring of the bill are not attained until the com- 
mencement of the third year. 
“ The Swan’s nest, from its ample dimensions,” says Mr. Stevenson, “ is always a conspicuous object, whether 
placed amongst the rank herbage on the river’s bank, at the mouth of a marsh-drain, or on the little islands and 
reedy margins of the broads themselves ; and from the summit of that littered mass the sitting bird commands all 
approaches, whilst her mate keeps guard beloAv. To my mind an old male SAvan never looks more beautiful than 
when, thus ‘ on duty,’ he sails forth from the margin of the stream to meet intruders ; with his head and neck 
thrown back between his snowy pinions, and every feather quivering with excitement, he drives through the 
the rippling water, contenting himself, if unmolested, with a quiet assertion of his rights, but with loud hisses and 
threatening actions resenting an attack. When the young, too, under the joint convoy of their parents, have 
taken to the water, the actions of both birds are full of grace and vigour, and the deep call-notes of the old pair 
mingle with the soft Avhistlings of their doAvny nestlings. What prettier sight presents itself upon our inland 
waters than such a group disporting themselves in the bright sunshine of a summer’s day, when the pure 
whiteness of the old bird’s feathers contrasts AAuth the green background of reeds and rushes, and the little grey 
cygnets on their mother’s back are peeping with bright bead-like eyes from the shelter of her spotless plumes? 
This habit of taking the young on her back is not, as some have supposed, adopted only as a means of safety Avdien 
crossing a strong current, but is a method of brooding her young on the water, very commonly practised by the 
female Swan when her cygnets are small ; and she will sink herself low in the water that they may mount the 
more easily. Whether at the same time she gives them a ‘ leg up ’ by raising them on the broad webs of her owm 
feet I cannot say positively ; but this is not improbable, since a favourite action in Swans is that of swimming with 
one foot resting upon the lower part of the back, the sole of the foot being uppermost. The down of the nestlings 
is replaced by feathers of a uniform slate-grey, and though in some a sprinkling of white feathers may be 
seen in their first autumn, they do not acquire their full plumage till the following summer, Avhen from tAvelve to 
fourteen months old. It is, however, in that intermediate stage (the least attractive as regards form or plumage) 
that they are most in request for edible purposes. Such cygnets as either elude the pursuit of the swanherds 
in August, or are intentionally left with their parents, are invariably driven aAvay by the old ones, later in the 
season, to shift for themselves, and congregate in small parties until paired off for nesting. The orange-red colour 
of the beak is not acquired till the third year, up to which time., though perfectly white in plumage, they are 
known as ‘ blue beaks ; ’ and the development of the knob or ‘ berry ’ is a matter of age.” 
Much has been written respecting the harm done by Savuiis in the destruction of fish in our rivers ; but I 
firmly belicAm that this occurs to a very limited extent, their natural food being aquatic plants and the grasses 
of the meadoAvs, and that on the contrary they effect much good hy clearing the thick beds of AAmeds : they 
may take a little of the spaAvn of fish during the limited period in AA'hicb it is deposited ; but I belicA e the 
perfect fish are seldom molested ; and probably their only animal food consists of mollusks and crustaceans 
Avhen an opportunity occurs for their capture. 
Latham states that the Cygnus olor is found wild in Russia and Siberia, most plentiful in the latter ; and 
Mr. Dresser informs me he has himself seen it in a Avild state on the banks of the Southern Danube, and 
also on the island of Bornholm, in Denmark, Avhence he has eggs. 
The principal figure is about half the natural size. 
