Morning journal and courier., 1891-02-12
OLD TIM AND HIS SWANS. Some Interesting Points Regarding the Water Fowl i'm Central Park.

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, looking like bits of summer cloud dropped to the pond from the sky. They were evidently well contented with their lot, and each pair seemed as loving as 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 msde strange guttural sounds except one swan. He stood alone, observing first the swans on land and then those in the water. After each inspection there was drearier droop to his plumage, and at last he gave vent to his feelings in long rattling note like the noise of a wheezy trumpet in un- skilful hands This lonely swan was the American trumpeter, the only representa- tive of its kind among the numerous Afri- can and European swans. 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 a nasty and undignifed way, and then all began a grand water tour of the pond, sailing slowly or rapidly as the leading duck slackened or quickened his move ments.
 After a while an old man came slowly down the path toward the pond, and final ly leaned against little bridge overlook ing 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. Although 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 them thoroughly.
 One thing has always grieved him great ly. He has never been able to tell one swan from another, or to be positive which are the males and which the fe males. When he sees pair together con- stantly he knows that one is a male and one female, but which is which he can not tell to a certainty. Any one but a man of thirty years experience would de- cline even to speculate about the question, for one swan is exactly like another, eI- cept in trifiing 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, af- ter much thinking, he hit upon a cunning scheme. He painted a number on each at the joint of the wing. But the swan is a clean bird, and has a strong admiration for his uniform whiteness. So they never stopped picking at the painted feathers until the last one had disappeared. 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 fiirtations 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
 husband at the far corner of the lake. | Away down at the other end lived a male | who had been so unfortunate as to find all | the females married when he came to ma | turity, so he set up housekeeping for him
 self. Once in while he used to float of
 up the lake and inspect from a distance
 the domestic happiness of the others. He | always returned with a sad air. He fiirted | with several of the females, but was
 whipped both by them and by their hus-
 bands 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 husband was on a foragOing expedi-
 tion. As she had to sail by all the other
 swans to get to this bachelors abiding
 place, she soon became a scandal to the
 community. Her husband caught her and
 punished her and the bachelor. Then he | got sick about it and died. The bachelor
 one could tell him from the dead husband
 he quite naturally dropped into his place.
 This was five or six years ago, but old Tim
 still talks about it indignantly.
 In the winter time the swans live happi-
 ly enough together, and never fight or
 quarrel. But in the spring their troubles
 begin and last until winter comes again.
 When pair of young swans set up house
 keeping they choose n certain spot on the
 shore of the lake for their nest. This
 spot remains theirs for the rest of their
 lives. They return to it each spring,
 With the land location goes a certain
 amount of water surface in the neighbor
 hood, and that is the cause of the trouble
 They seem to be pretty well agreed among
 themselves as to how much of the lakt
 surface belongs to each pair. But some
 times swan in search of bit of choicel
 mirror for his plumages than his ow1 , pleasure ground affords, or of some bit O food in his neighbors' territory, will ge out of his limits. Then the row begins
 The injured pair leSp upon him, and, seiz ing him by the neck, beat him with thei 7 wings He is not idle, and his mate come to the rescue. They fight all over tn , lake, thus drawing each of the other bird into the disturbance. The feathers fly and the lake is ruffied and the air Tt
 sounds. Every blow tells, for a swan ca V strike blow with his wing that will brea a stout ash oar in two, as old Tim can tel r tify. He has scar on the back of hi
 hand which has reminded him for twent F. years of the day he went too near a swan e nest when there were young ones in i ', The male struck him with the edge of hi Il wing and laid his hand open almost to th e bone.
 n At present there are three unmste }. swans, and Tim thinks they are all males l. Two are Africans and they go together B. The American trumpeter swims and walk l. and lives alone.
 Old Tim has charge of the pea fowl 10 also But he does not think so much C y them. They have no idea of family rels 1t tions, and, further, the males will kill th d young if they get half a chance. The fl
 male builds her nest ill the most seclude d place she can find, and keeps the ma n away from it. She will not bring he le young ones into his presence until they al at old enough to hide if he tries to kill then d Old Tim has a good deal of trouble wit
 the males when there is heavy snow, b a. cause they crouch down and the snow ge it on their long tails and weights them dow e. so that they are liable to be covered al of smothered unless rescued. Old Tim wi d. not talk much about them, but he'll ia Is about the swans as long as any one vi of listen.
 it He has tried for years to find swl ne that sings before it dies, but has had on nt his trouble for his pains. He has disco
 cred that they are great conversationalis on and talk fuently and understandingly lal each other.