by Mayne Reid
CHAPTER FOUR.
THE SWANS OF AMERICA.
"Very well, then," said Lucien, agreeing to the request. "I shall tellyou all I know of the swans; and, indeed, that is not much, as thenatural history of these birds in their wild state is but littleunderstood. On account of their shy habits, there is not muchopportunity of observing them; and as they annually migrate and breed inthose desolate regions within the Arctic circle, where civilised men donot live, but little information has been collected about them. Some ofthe species, however, breed in the temperate zones, and the habits ofthese are better known.
"For a long time it was fancied there was but one species of swan. Itis now known that there are several, distinguished from each other inform, colour, voice, and habits. `White as a swan,' is a simile as old,perhaps; as language itself. This, I fancy, would sound strangely tothe ears of a native Australian, who is accustomed to look upon swans asbeing of the very opposite colour, for the black swan is a native ofthat country.
"According to the naturalist Brehm, who has given much attention to thissubject, there are four distinct species of swans in Europe. They areall white, though some of the species have a reddish orange tinge aboutthe head and neck. Two of them are `gibbous,' that is, with a knob orprotuberance upon the upper part of the bill. One of these Brehm termsthe `white-headed gibbous swan' (_Cygnus gibbus_). The other is the`yellow-headed' (_Cygnus olor_); and this last also is known as the_mute_ or _tame_ swan, because it is that species most commonly seen ina tame state upon the ornamental lakes and ponds of England. The othertwo European species Brehm has designated `singing swans,' as both ofthem utter a note that may be heard to a considerable distance.
"The black swan of Australia (_Cygnus niger_) has been naturalised inEurope, and breeds freely in England, where, from its great size andpeculiar markings, it is one of the most ornamental of water-fowls. Itis, moreover, a great tyrant, and will not permit other birds toapproach its haunt, but drives them off, striking them furiously withits strong broad wings.
"Until a late period the swans of America were supposed to be all of onekind. This is not the case. There are now known to be three distinctspecies inhabiting the fur countries, and migrating annually to theSouth. That which is best known is the `whistler,' or `hooper' (_CygnusAmericanus_), because it is the species that abounds in the old Statesupon the Atlantic, and was therefore more observed by naturalists. Itis believed to be identical with one of the European `singing' swans(_Cygnus ferus_), but this is not certain; and for my part, I believethey are different, as the eggs of the American swan are greenish, whilethose of its European congener are brownish, with white blotches.
"The `hooper' is four and a half feet in length, though there are malesstill larger, some of them measuring five feet. Its colour is white,except upon the head and back part of the neck, where there is a copperytinge. The bill and feet are black. From the angle of the mouth to theeye there is a small naked `cere,' of a bright yellow colour. Theseswans, like others of the genus, do not care much for the salt water.They are rarely seen upon the sea, except near its shores, where theymay find the aquatic plants upon which they feed. Nor do they go outupon the large lakes. When found upon these, it is generally close into the land. This is accounted for by the fact that the swans do not`dive' for their food, but stretch down for it with their long necks,which Nature has peculiarly adapted to this very purpose. Theirfavourite food consists of the roots of aquatic plants, which are oftenfarinaceous. As these grow best in the shallow small lakes and alongthe margins of rivers, such places are the usual resort of the swans.Although their diet is a vegetable one, it is not exclusively so, asthey will eat frogs, worms, and small fish. Unlike the ducks and geese,they rarely feed upon land, but while floating upon the surface of thewater. They walk but awkwardly on land, and are at home only on wateror in the air. In the air they are quite at home, and fly so swiftlythat it is no easy matter to shoot them, especially when going beforethe wind. At such times they are supposed to fly at the rate of onehundred miles an hour. When moulting, and unable to rise into the air,it is no easy matter to follow them even with a canoe. By means oftheir broad feet and strong wings, they can flutter so quickly over thewater, now and then diving, that the hunter cannot overtake them in hisboat, but is obliged to use his gun in the pursuit.
"The `hoopers' are migratory,--that is, they pass to the north everyspring, and southward again in the autumn. Why they make these annualmigrations, remains one of the mysteries of nature. Some believe theymigrate to the north, because they there find those desolate uninhabitedregions where they can bring forth their young in security. But thisexplanation cannot be the true one, as there are also uninhabitedregions in the south, even under the equator, where they may be equallyfree from the presence of man. Another explanation might be offered.In hot and tropical countries most of the small lakes and swamps, wherethese birds love to dwell, dry up during the summer months: hence thenecessity of a migration to colder and moister regions. But this wouldonly hold good of the wading and water birds; it would not account forthe migration of the many other birds of passage.
"A better explanation may be this: The north and the cold zones are thenatural habitat of most migratory birds. It is there that they bringforth their young, and there they are at home. In tropical regions theyare only sojourners for a season, forced thither, some of them, by acold which they do not relish; but others, such as the water-fowl, bythe frost, which, binding up the lakes, rivers, and swamps, hinders themfrom procuring their food. They are thus compelled to make an annualmigration to the open waters of the South, but as soon as the ice hasgiven way before the genial breath of spring, they all return rejoicingto their favourite home in the North, when their season of lovecommences.
"The `hoopers' follow this general law, and migrate to the northwardevery spring. They breed upon islets in the numerous lakes that studthe whole northern part of the American continent. Eminences in swampsare also chosen for breeding places, and the ends of promontories thatjut out into the water. The spot selected is always such that the swan,when seated upon her nest, can have a view of the surrounding country,and detect any enemy long before it can approach her. The top of thedome-shaped dwellings of the musk-rat, or musquash (_Fibre zibethicus_),is often selected by the swan for her nest. These curious little housesare usually in the midst of impenetrable swamps: they are only occupiedby their builders during the winter; and as they are deserted by them inearly spring, they are therefore quite at the service of the swan forthe `balance of the season.' The bird makes a large cavity in the top,and lines it with such reeds and grass as may be found near the spot.
"The hooper lays from six to eight eggs, and sits upon them for a periodof six weeks, when the cygnets come forth covered with a thick down of abluish-grey colour. While sitting upon her eggs, the swan isexceedingly watchful and shy. She `faces' towards the point whence shemost apprehends danger. When the weather is severe, and the wind coldand keen, she changes into that position which is most comfortable. Ifher nest be upon a promontory instead of an island, she usually sitswith her head to the land, as she feels secure that no enemy will reachher from the waterside. From the land she has not only man to `lookout' for, but the wolverene (_Gulo luscus_), the lynx (_FelisCanadensis_), foxes, and wolves.
"The Indians often snare the swan upon her nest. Of course the snare--arunning noose made from the intestines of the deer--is set in herabsence. It is placed upon the side by which she enters, as these birdsenter and leave the nest upon opposite sides. The snare must bearranged with great care, and with _clean hands_; and the Indians alwaystake the precaution to wash their hands before setting it, else theswans, whose sense of smell is very acute, will perceive the presence ofdanger, and will not only keep away for a time, but sometimes desert theeggs altogether. There are many other birds that have a similar habit.
"So much for the `hooper,'" continued Lucien; "now for the `trumpeter.'This is the large
st of the American swans, being found to measureseventy inches in length. Its specific name `trumpeter' (Cygnus_buccinator_) is given to it on account of its note, which resembles thesound of a French horn, or trumpet, played at a distance. The bird iswhite, with black bill and feet, and has also a reddish orange or coppertinge upon the crown and neck; but it wants the yellow spot between thesplit of the mandibles and the eye. It is easily distinguished from thehooper, both by its louder note and larger body. Its habits, however,are very similar, except that it seems to be more gregarious,--smallflocks of six or eight often appearing together, while the hooper isseen only in pairs, and sometimes solitary. Another distinction is,that the trumpeter arrives much earlier in its migrations to the North,being the earliest bird that appears except the eagles. It breeds asfar South as latitude 61 degrees, but most generally within the Arcticcircle. Its nest is constructed similarly to those of the hooper, butits eggs are much larger, one of them being a meal for a moderate eater,without bread or any other addition. The trumpeter frequently arrivesin the North before the lakes or rivers are thawed. It is then obligedto find sustenance at the rapids and waterfalls, where the Indians canapproach under cover, and many are shot at such times by these people.At all other times, as you, Francois, have observed, it is a bird mostdifficult of approach; and the Indian hunters only attempt it when theyhave a long-range gun loaded with ball.
"The third species of American swans is that known as Bewick's swan(Cygnus _Bewickii_), called after the naturalist of that name. It isthe smallest of the three, rarely measuring over fifty-two inches inlength, and weighing only fourteen pounds, while the hooper is overtwenty pounds in weight, and the trumpeter is often obtained of theenormous weight of thirty!
"Bewick's swan is also said to be identical with one of Brehm's singingswans. Its colour is almost similar to that of the hooper, and the twoare often mistaken for each other. The size and the tail-feathers ofall three of the American swans form a sufficiently specificdistinction. In the trumpeter these are twenty-four in number, in thehooper twenty, while the small species has only eighteen.
"Of the three, the last-mentioned is the latest on its annual journey,but it breeds farther North than either of the others. Its nest isfound upon the islands of the Arctic Sea; it is usually built ofpeat-moss, and is of gigantic dimensions, being six feet long by five inwidth, and nearly two feet high. In the top of this pile is the nestitself, forming a large round cavity nearly two feet in diameter. Theeggs are of a brownish white, with clouds of darker tint.
"I have remarked," continued Lucien, "a singularity in the geographicaldistribution of these three species. Upon the Pacific coast thesmallest kind and the hooper only are met with, and the small onesoutnumber the others in the ratio of five to one. In the interior partsof the continent only the hoopers and trumpeters appear; and thetrumpeters are by far the most numerous, while upon the eastern coastsof America the hoopers are the sort best known.
"The swans are eagerly hunted both by the Indians and white hunters.Their skins, with the quills and down, form a source of profit to thenatives of the fur countries, who dispose of them to the Hudson's BayCompany. In some years as many as ten thousand skins have beenexported, and sold at the rate of six or seven shillings each. Most ofthe skins thus sold were those of the trumpeter swans, which are themost numerous.
"Now," said Lucien, in conclusion, "you know as much about the swans asI do; so I shall drop the subject, and recommend to all of you a pieceof roast swan, which is now just done to a turn, and which I doubt notwill be found less dry than my lecture."