Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1890-06-14
AN ENGLISH swANNERY.
A Cnrious sight to he seen ON the Marshy
shore at AbbotHbury.

A very curious sight does the marshy
shore at Abbotsbury present in the
breeding season. Then the ground is
dotted with nests, pair OF swans to
each, ore covering the eggs, the other
sitting or standing. snow-whito senti-
mel beside his mate. The swans do not
breed until they are three years old;
they are strictly homogeneous, aud the
male bird takes his full share in the in
cubation. The nests. formed OF dry
reeds, are OF great size, and are made
upon grassy tussocks among the osiers,
the whole breeding ground, moist with
runnels OF water, being so freely inter
sected by narrow alleys OF sound turf
that the visitor Is enabled 70 inspect
them closely; nor does his approach dis
turb the equanimity of the birds. though
IL molested during the breeding season.
or while the brood is young, the swan Is
bird that will defend himself. and
stiil more his offspring. with considera-
BILE valor. They lay from five to eight
very large thick-shelled white eggs, and
the period OF incubation is six weeks.
The swan is not indigenous to the
british Isles, but is supposed TO have
been introduced from Eastern Europe
or Asia many centuries back. Our cli-
mate, however suits them well. and at
Ahbotshury they have fiourished exceed
ingly. The number there now Is about
eight hundred: formerly more were kept,
as many as fifteen hundred; while fuxther
back, again, tradition gives the number
as seven or eight thousand. In winter
time many sorts OF wild birds put in APP
pearance, when the sooty piumage of in-
numerable coots forms a striking con-
trast with the snowy whiteness Of tho
swans. Some few years back a black
swan, that rard aris IA ferris, kept the
white ones company for a while, but
none knew whence IL came or whittier il
went. There are also hoopcrs, or wild
swans, a smaller species.
Wild species are, perhaps, always
smaller than tame, though generally
more beautiful: but this does not seem
TO be the case with the swan. as NJ.
Baillon, Kings Counselor and bailiif Of
Waben, at Muntreuilsur- Mer, remarks.
1.-The abundance and the choice Of food
augmented the bulk of the tame swan,
but is form has lost none of its ele-
gancc; IL has preserved the same graces
and the same freedom in all its notions
its majestic port is ever admired.
doubt even whether all these qualities
are found to equal extent in the wild
bird" At Abhotsbury, however, the
swans are not fed; they find ample pro
vision for themselves in the alge and
other marsh plants which grow on the
banks Of the Fleet.
The grace and power with which the
swan moves in what we may call hi,
native element are delightful. On land
he has been coupled with the dis
mounted dragoon to illustrate the ex
treme of awkwardness, and il must bS
confessed that his gait is most ungainly
but afioat he Is superb. According Il
/ that keen observer and eminent natur
alist, Button. the swan presents tn,
finest natural model for the art of nayi
cation, Its raised neck and rounC
swelling breast exhibit the prov OF
ship cleaving the waves its broad belll
, represents the keel, its body. pressed
down before, rises behind into tn,
stern; the tail is genuine rudder; IL
feet are broad oars. and its wings, hal
opened TO the wind and gently inflated
are the sails which impel the animated
machine. '-Cornhill Magazine.