, 1891-03-05
OLD TIM n HIS SWANS.
POINTS REGARDING THE WATER
FOWL IN CENTRAL PARK.

Some Queer and Interesting Peculiari-
tIes-NIates Are Always ahhfuI to
Each other-How They Live.
Toward 3 O'Clock one afternoon a scene
If serene domestic bliss was to be observed
from the high bridge which leads out OF
Central park at Eighth avenue and Seven
sy-seventh street. There was a struggling
and faint hearted sunshine. In the hollow
Just below the bridge is q pond, the winter
quarters Of the swans, the snow geese and
the white ducks. Some of the swans float
ID 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 noated 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 kt, and each
pair seemed as loving as 4 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 a drearier
NA'FP " AA' lA@AAe5'B eAN ~ A@Hk AN BAHN
vent to his feelings in p long rafting note
like the noise of a wheezy trumpet in uu.
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 a shrill
croak that was taken up on all sides.
Those swans and geese that were on land
took to the water in a hasty and undigni-
fed way, and then all began a grand water
tour Of the pond, smiling slowly or rapidly
rs the leading duck slackencd or quicken
ed his movements
After a while an old man came slowly
down the path townrd the pond. and finally
leaned against a little bridge overlooking
1t. lie carried a 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 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 females.
When he secs a pair together constantly
he knows that one is a male and one a fe-
male, but which is which he cannot tell to
a certainty. Any one but n man OF thirty
years experience would decline even to
speculate about the question, for one swan
is exactly like another, except in trining
details Of plumage, which alter constantly.
Until a 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 uumbe on each mt 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-
termincd one point which makes him very
proud OF his charges. He says that the
male swau in the spring, ut 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 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 lie came to maturi-
~, so lie set up housekeeping for himself.
Once in a while he used to float up the lake
and inspect from n distance the domestic
happiness of the others. He always re-
turned with n sad air. He hirted 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 q foraging expedition. AS
she had to sail by all the other swans to
get 70 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
1t and died. The bachelor came and con-
soled the widow, and as no n 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
quarrel. But in the spring their troubles
begin and last until winter comes again.
When a pair Of young swans set up house
keeping they choose a certain spot on the
shore of the lake for their nest. This spot
remains theirs for the rest OF their lives,
They return 70 it each spring. With the
land location goes a certain amount Of
water surface in the neighbcrhood, and
that is the cause OF the trouble. They seem
to be pretty well agreed among themselves
as to how much OF the lake surface belongs
to each pair.
But sometimes a swan in search of a bit
Of choicer mirror for his plumHge than his
own pleasure ground affords, or of some
bit of food in his ~neighbors' territory, will
get out Of his limits. Then the row begins.
The injured pair leap upon him, and, seiz-
ing him by the neck, beat him with their
wings. He is not idle, and his mate comes
to the rescue. They fight all over the lake,
thus drawing each of the other birds into
the disturbance. The feathers fly, and the
lake is RULED and the air resounds.
Every blow tells, for a swan can strike a
blow with his wing that will break a stout
ash oar in two, as old Tim can testify. He
has a scar on the back of his haud which
has reminded him for twenty years of the
day he went too near n swans nest when
there were young ones in it. TIT male
struck him with the edge Of his wing and
laid his hand open almost to the bone
At present there are three minated
swans, and Tim thinks they are all males.
Two are Africans, and they go together.
The American trumpeter swims and walks
and lives Ulone.-New York Sun.
Merit Wins.
W