248 
ZOOLOGY. 
The coot or mud lien is common in marshes and lakes of the Territory, where it breeds, the 
young being hatched early in June. It seems, however, like most water birds, to be much 
more abundant in California during winter, and probably does not remain north of the 
Columbia at that season.—C. 
ORDER VI. NATATOKES. sw imming .«*. 
Family ANATIDAE. 
Sub-Family CYGNINAE.—'T h e Swans. 
CYGNUS AMERICANUS, Sharp less. 
American Swan. 
?Anas columbianus, Ord. Guthrie’s Geog. 2d Am. Ed. II, 1815, 319 ; based on Whistling Swan, Lewis & Clark,II, 192. 
Cygnus americanus, Siiarpless, Doughty’s Cab. N. H. 1,1830,185, pi. xvi.—In. Am. Jour. Sc. XXII, 1831, 83 .—Aud. 
Orn. Biog. V, 1839, 133; pi. 411.—lB.Syn.2T4.—lb. Birds Amer. VI, 1843,226; pi. 384.— 
Baird, Gen. Rep. Birds, p. 758. 
Olor americanus, BoNAr. Consp. Anser. Comptes Rendus, XLIII, Sept. 22, 1856. 
Cygnus bewickii, Sw. F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 224. 
Cygnus feius, Nuttall, Man. II, 1834, 368. 
Sp. Cn.—Bill as long as the head, broad, high at the base ; the feathers ending on the forehead in a semi-circular outline. 
Nostrils far forward, the anterior extremity considerably more forward than half the commissure. Tail of 20 feathers. 
Adult pure white ; hill and legs black ; the former with an orange or yellowish spot in front of the eye. Less mature speci¬ 
mens with the head above tinged with reddish brown. Length, 55 inches; wing, 22.00; tarsus, 4.25; bill above, 4.20. 
Ilab. —Continent of North America. 
The whistling swan is quite abundant during winter on the Columbia, and is found rather 
more sparingly on Puget Sound. A specimen obtained by me in the vicinity of Fort Steila- 
coom, on the 24th of October, 1856, measured 53^ inches. Extent, 85; wing, 21. This bird 
is called by the Nisqually Indians Sioo-haid. Its flesh is very delicate, and is excellent for the 
table.—S. 
The American swan is common during winter along the Columbia river above its mouth, but 
rarely seen near the sea-shore.—C. 
CYGNUS BUCCINATOR, Rich. 
Trumpeter Swan. 
Cygnus buccinator, Rich. F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 464.— Nuttall, Man. II, 1834, 370.— Aud. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 536; 
V, 114; pi. 406 and 376 .—Ib. Svn. 74 .—Ib. Birds, Amer. VI, 1843, 219; pi. 382, 383.— Baird, 
Gen. Rep. Birds, p. 758. 
Olor buccinator, Wagler, Isis, 1832, 1234 —Bon. Comptes Rendus, XLIII, Sept. 1856. 
Sp. Ch.—B ill broad, longer than the head; the feathers ending on the forehead in a semi-eliptical outline The nostrils 
with the anterior extremity as far forward only as half the commissure. Tail of 24 feathers. 
Adult pure white throughout, the bill and legs entirely black; the bill without any red spot at the base. Less mature 
specimens with the head above tinged with reddish brown. 
Length about 50 inches; wing, 24 00; bill above, 4.50; tarsus, 4.60. 
Ilab .—Western America, from the Mississippi valley to the Pacific. 
This bird is undoubtedly an inhabitant of Washington and Oregon Territories. It is, like 
the preceding species, more abundant on the Columbia river than at Puget Sound. In the 
