Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-01-08
aEiseellaneuus Rading.
DEATH TO SWANS.

DEATH TO SWANS.
How a Great Flock Were Swept Over
IA Niagara Falls.
Us All naturalists and many sportsmen
Will recall the great destruction of
Bwa1s which took place last March at
Niagara Falls. A great flock Of these
large and beautiful birds was carried
down the river and over the falls and
an authoritative account of the occur
! renee recently appeared in a paper by
James Savage of Buffalo, n. Y, print
ed in the bulletin of the Buffalo Society
of Natural History.
While the whistlng swan occurs reg
ularly along the Niagara river, 1t is al
ways a rare migrant and would scarce
ly ever be captured were it not for the
fact that 1t often floats down the river
to injury or death at the great cata-
ract. Observers declare that scarcely a
year passes without one or more swans
going over the falls. About twenty
made the fatal plunge in March, 1906.
and five in the same month, 1907, but
no such destruction of swans has been
known as took place March Is, 1908,
when more than 100 were destroyed.
During the greater part Of the day
severe rainstorm prevailed. About
Il o'clock in the morning, between
showers, William Leblond Of Niagara
Falls, Ont, was engaged in removing
from the ice bridge a temporary struct-
ure that had been used during the win
ter season as a souvenir and refresh
ment stand, when he was startled by
loud cry. Turning around, his atten-
ton was first attracted to swan
struggling in the water at the upper
edge of the ice bridge, but on looking
toward the falls he saw a great COM
pany of swans in distress coming to-
ward the bridge. The scene that fol-
lowed was sad one for any bird lover
to contemplate.
"These splendid birds, helpless after
their terrible plunge over the cata-
ract were dashed against the ice bridge
by the swift current amid cakes Of
loose ice, which were constantly coming
down from the upper river. Some had
been killed outright by the falls. 9th
ers, unable to fly, because of injury to
their wings, attempted to stem the
rushing waters, but here their wonder
full swimming powers were Of no avail.
They were soon imprisoned in the ice,
where their pitiful cries were heart
rending.
1.-The game laws of Ontario still per-
NIT the taking of geese and swan in
the spring until April 30, and 1t was not
long before men and boys, armed with
guns and sticks, avaied themselves Of
the privilege and became the chief fac
tors in the closing scene Of natures
great tragedy-the sacrifice Of the
swans"
AS soon as he learned Of the occur
renee, Mr.. Savage visited Niagara Falls,
and from his investigation concluded
that the number Of swans taken Marcn
Is was 102. On the morning Of March
IS, two more were taken at the ice
bridge and a third was picked up alive
on the shore. 1t was secured by Mr..
Savage and photographed. Placed in
the geological collection in Delaware
Park, Buffalo, it recovered. Eleven
more swans were taken later, and some
others were seen which, though appar-
entity carried over the falls, were still
able to take wing and fly away.
Mr.. Savage quotes ]. L. Davison's pa
per on the Birds Of Niagara County,"
published nearly twenty years ago III
Forest and Stream, which contains ref
erence to injured swans in waters near
Niagara Falls.
But swans are not the only waterfowl
that are in danger from Niagara. On
March IS, 1908, Mr.. Savage saw a
handsome male canvasback come down
against the Ice bridge. 1t appeared to
be unable to fly On the same day he
saw a goldeneye duck struggle out of
the foaming water below the Horseshoe
Falls and reach the shore. 1t made no
attempt to escape when picked up. ard
seemed unable to walk or fly. Later,
however it recovered and did fly off.
Of the swans which went over the
falls, many afterward appeared on the
table. A number were preserved by
the taxidermists Of Niagara Falls and
Toronto. A group Of five appears in
the Museum of the Buffalo Society of
Natural Sciences. Mr.. Savage saw not
less than fifty Of these dead birds, and
looked them over carefully, thinking
that perhaps there might be among
them a trumpeter swan, but none was
found Mr. Savage believes that fully
one third Of the 116 swans taken would
have survived If given proper care, but
the impulse to kill was stronger than
the spirit to save, and not even pair
Of these unfortunate birds was rescued
from natures doom and restored to
natures freedOm.-ForeSt and Stream.