THE WILD SWAN, OR HOOPER. 839 
beginning of May—the female lays her first egg, and each 
succeeding day another: the total number being from five to 
seven; they resemble those of the Mute Swan, measuring 
from four and a quarter to four and a half inches in 
length, and are three inches wide at the thickest part; the 
shell is very thick and smooth, and of a dirty green 
colour. The female alone broods the eggs, which are 
hatched in from five to six weeks; yet the male remains 
faithfully by her, often sitting for hours on the nest 
alongside of his mate. The first day after the young are 
hatched the mother warms and dries them till the follow¬ 
ing morning, when she leads them to the water, where both 
parents undertake their charge, caring for and watching 
over them, as well as instructing them how to procure 
their food. They shelter and defend the young Cygnets 
against all dangers with great courage and impetuosity; 
and, if much disturbed, will conduct them to some 
other water. The Cygnets are so well defended by 
their parents that birds of prey do not often care to 
attack them; four-footed vermin, however, do occasionally 
manage to destroy them, despite the resistance offered by 
the old birds. At first the young seek shelter under the 
feathers of the mother, and often mount on her back to 
rest, while she continues swimming; later on, they sail 
away between the two parent birds. The Cygnets are 
full grown and able to fly by the time they are three 
months’ old, and when a year has passed they change 
their gray dress for that of the adult bird. 
Cygnets are easily tamed: they are caught by the 
help of a boat, and then pinioned. In a short time 
they become half tame, in the same degree as our Mute 
Swan, get used to man, and feed, as before mentioned, 
on different species of aquatic plants. 
5 s 
