San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-04-22
OLD TIM AND HIS SWANS.
POINTS REGARDING THE WATER
FOWL IN CENTRAL PARK.
Some Queer and Interesting PecuIiari-
ties-Mates Are Always Faithful to
Each Other-EOw They Live.

Some queer and interesting Pecullari-
ties-Mates Are Always Faithful to
Each Other-EOw They Live.
Toward O'Clock one afternoon a scene
of serene domestic bliss was to be observed
from the high bridge which leads out of
Central park at Eighth avenue and Seven
ty-seventh street. There was struggling
and faint hearted sunshine. In the hollow
just below the bridge is Il pond, the winter
quarters of the swans, the snow geese and
the white ducks Some of the swans float
ed in pairs on the water, now and then div
ing their long necks so far beneath the sur
face that their tails pointed to the zenith
and their webbed feet fioated like the
leaves of water lilies. When they were not
diving they drifted beautifully about, look
ing like bits of summer cloud dropped to
the pond from the sky. They were evident
ly well contented with their lot, and each
pair seemed as loving as a couple on their
honeymoon tour.
The geese and ducks seemed amiable
enough also. Others of the swans stepped
about upon the ice and gave no sign of
being troubled with cold feet. They all
made strange cultural sounds, except one
swan. He stood alone, observing first the
swans on land and then those in the water.
After each inspection there was Il drearier
droop TO his plumage, and at last he gave
vent to his feelings in long rafting note
like the noise of a wheezy trumpet in I'M
skillful hands This lonely swan was the
American trumpeter, the only representa-
tive of his kind among the numerous Afri-
can and European swans.
BEAUTIFUL CREATURES.
Presently one of the ducks gave shrill
croak that was taken up on all sides.
Those swans and geese that were on land
took to the water in hasty and undigni-
fed way, and then all began grand water
tour of the pond, sailing slowly or rapidly
as the leading duck slackened or quicken
ed his movements.
After while an old man came slowly
down the path toward the pond, and finally
leaned against a little bridge overlooking
it. He carried thick thorn stick. He
wore an old cap, an old overcoat and an
old fashioned comforter. This was old
Tim, who has taken care of the swans and
water fowl generally for thirty years. AL
though none of them has ever shown the
least sign of affection for him, he is very
fond of them, and has come to know and
admire Gnem thoroughly.
One thing has always grieved him great
". He has never been able to tell ons
swan from another, or to be positive which
are the males and which the females.
When he sees a pair together constantly
he knows that one is a male and one fe-
male, but which is which he cannot tell to
a certainty. Any one but man of thirty
years experience would decline even to
speculate about the question, for one swan
is exactly like another, except in tritling
details of plumage, which alter constantly.
Until swan is a year old you can tell
that he or she is younger than the others.
but after the full plumage comes there is
no difference. When the swans first came
the superintendent saw that there would
be this difficulty, so after much thinking
he hit upon a cunning scheme. He painted
a number on each at the joint of the wing.
SWAN LIFE.
But the swan is a clean bird, and has a
strong admiration for his uniform white
ness. So they never stopped picking at the
painted feathers until the last one had dis
appeared. After that the superintendent
gave up.
But old Tim by careful watching has de-
termined one point which makes him very
proud of his charges He says that the
male swan in the spring, at the end of his
first year. takes unto himself a wife, and
remains true to her and she remains true
to him until death does them part. There
are never two wives. The females are not
at all flirtatious, and accept no caresses
from other swans. Each domestic estab-
lishment keeps TO itself.
In thirty years old Tim has observed but
one instance of unfaithfulness. There was
one female swan who lived with her hus-
band at the far coraer of the lake. Away
down at the other end lived male who
had been so unfortunate as to find all the
females married when he came to maturi-
ty, so he SCI up housekeeping for himself.
Once in a while he used to float up the lake
and inspect from a distance the domestic
happiness of the others. He always re-
turned with sad air. He fiirted with sew
eral of the females but was whipped both
by them and by their husbands.
At last this female who lived at the other
end of the lake took pity on him and stole
down to see him one day when her hus-
band was on foraging expedition. As
she had to sail by all the other swans to
get to this bachelors abiding place she
soon becamea scandal to the community.
Her husband caught her and punished her
and the bachelor. Then he got sick about
it and died The bachelor came and con-
soled the widow, and as no one could tell
him from the dead husband he quite natu-
rally dropped into his place. This was five
or six years ago, but old Tim still talks
about it Indignantly.
SWANS SOMETIMES FIGHT.
In the winter time the swans live hap
PLY enough together and never fight or