The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1890-05-29
AN ENGLISH swANNERY.
a Curious Sight to Re Seen on the MarShy
Shore Rt Abbotsbury.

Shore ss Abbotsbury.
A very curious sight does the marshy
shore at Abbotsbury present in the
breeding season. Then the ground Is
dotted with nests, a pair of swans to
each, one covering the eggs, the other
sitting or standing, snow-white senti-
mel beside his mate. The swans do not
breed until they are three years old;
they are strictly homogeneous, and 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 to inspect
them closely; nor does his approach dis
turb the equanimity of the birds, though
if molested during the breeding season,
or while the brood is young, the swan is
a bird that will defend himself, and
still 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
Abbotsbury they have fourished exceed
ingly. The number there now is about
eight hundred; formerly more were kept,
as many as fifteen hundred; while further
back, again, tradition gives the number
as seven or eight thousand. In winter
time many sorts of wild birds put in ap-
pearance, when the sooty plumage of in
Vulnerable coots forms striking con-
trast with the snowy whiteness of the
swans. Some few years back black
swan, that rGrG GUis IN terris, kept the
white ones company for a while, but
none knew whence it came or whittier il
went. There are also hoopers, or wild
swans, a smaller species.
Wild species are, perhaps, always
smaller than tame, though generally
more beautiful; but this does not seen
| to be the case with the swan, as M
Baillon, Kings Counselor and bailif o.
Waben, at Montreuilsur-Mer remarks
"The abundance and the choice of food
augmented the bulk of the tame swan
but its form has lost none of its ele
gance; it has preserved the same grace!
and the same freedom in all its motions
its majestic port is ever admired.
doubt even whether all these qualities
are found to equal extent in the wilt
bird" At AbbotsburY, however, tht
swans are not fed; they find ample pro
vision for themselves in the alge ant
other marsh plants which grow on thu
banks of the Fleet.
The grace and power with which th'
swan moves in what we may call hi
native element are delightful. On LAM
he has been coupled with the dis
mounted dragoon to illustrate the ex
treme of awkwardness, and it must b
confessed that his gait is most ungainly
but afloat he is superb. According t
that keen observer and eminent natuI
alist, Button, the swan presents tn
finest natural model for the art of nayi
CATION, ''Its raised neck and roun
swelling breast exhibit the PROV Of
ship cleaving the waves, its broad bell
represents the keel, it's body, presse
down before, rises behind into tn
stern; the tail is genuine rudder; it
feet are broad oars, and it's wings, hal
opened to the wind and gently inflated
are the sails which impel the animate
machine. ."-Cornhill Magazine.