254 
ali.en’s naturalist’s library. 
its ally ; but there is not the slightest necessity to shoot this 
handsome bird in order to identify the species. It is fond of 
walking and standing on the mud or sand on the banks of the 
riveis and lakes where it feeds. All that is necessary is to 
mark down the place, find the heavy footprints,' and measure 
them. The impress of the middle toe of Bewick’s Swan, from 
the centre of the ball of the heel to the centre of the ball next 
the claw, measures five inches and a quarter ; the footprints 
left by the Whooper measure an inch or more longer. 
“Bewick’s Swan scarcely differs from its ally in its habits, 
food, or in its choice of feeding- or breeding-grounds. Our 
trusty Samoyede servant in the Petchora brought us a 
Bewick’s Swan which he had shot from a herd of nine, as they 
were swimming near the edge of a large lake. He succeeded 
in stalking up to within thirty paces of them, when they caught 
the alarm, immediately swam up close together, pausing for 
a moment to listen with upstretched necks. St. John de- 
scribes the same habit of the Whooper in the north of Scot- 
land.” 
Nest — This is said by Mr. Seebohm’s collectors to be like 
that of the Whooper. Mr. Trevor-Battye found the nest of 
Bewick’s Swan in Kolguev, and says that it was a mound 
about 2 feet 6 inches in heiglit and 4 feet 6 inches in diameter 
at the base. ^ “ It was perfectly smooth and symmetrical, taper- 
ing till the circular top was no more than about two feet across 
The structure was entirely composed of little bunches of >Treen 
moss, with the exception of a very little lichen, and a chance 
bit, here and there, of short light dead grass, pulled up with 
the moss ; of course there were no green grasses or reeds as 
yet, and not a single piece of dead reed had been used 
There was a thin lining only to the nest of dead grass mixed 
with a little down.” ^ ’ 
Eggs.— Two or three in number ; white like those of the 
Whooper, but smaller and less glossy. Axis, 3'9-4'2 inches ■ 
diam., 2 '5-2 ‘65. ’ 
III. THE MUTE SWAN. CYGNUS OLOR. 
olor, Gm. S. N. i. p. 501 (1788). 
