56 
FRANK FORESTER^ FIELD SPORTS. 
“ The Trumpeter Swans make their appearance on the lower 
portions of the waters of the Ohio, about the end of October. 
They throw themselves at once into the larger ponds, or lakes, 
at no great distance from the river, giving a marked preference 
to those which are closely surrounded by dense tall cane-brakes, 
and there remain until the water is closed by the ice, when they 
are forced to proceed southward. During mild winters I have 
seen Swans of this species in the ponds about Henderson, until 
the beginning of March, but only a few individuals, which may 
have staid there to recover from their wounds. When the cold 
became intense, most of those which visited the Ohio would re¬ 
move to the Mississippi, and proceed down that stream, as the 
severity of the weather increased, or return if it diminished; for 
it has appeared to me that neither very intense cold, nor great 
heat, suit them so well as a medium temperature. I have tTaced 
the winter migrations of this species so far southward as Texas, 
where it is abundant at times. 
“At New Orleans, where I made a drawing of the young 
bird here described, the Trumpeters are frequently exposed for 
sale in the markets, being procured on the ponds of the inte¬ 
rior, and on the great lakes leading to the waters of the Gulf 
of Mexico. This species is unknown to my friend, the Rev. 
John Bachman, who, during a residence of twenty years in 
South Carolina, never saw or heard of one of these, whereas in 
hard winters the Cygnus Americanus is not uncommon, although 
it does not often proceed farther southward than that State. 
The waters of the Arkansas, and its tributaries, are annually sup¬ 
plied with Trumpeter Swans; and the largest individual which 
I have examined, was shot on a lake near the junction of that 
river with the Mississippi. It measured nearly ten feet in alar 
extent, and weighed above thirty-eight pounds. 
“ The flight of the Trumpeter Swan is firm, at times greatly 
elevated and sustained. It passes through the air by regular 
beats, in the same manner as Geese, the neck stretched to its 
full length, as are the feet, which project beyond the tail. When 
passing low, I have frequently thought that I heard a rustling 
