Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-02

the lee of the ridged ice cakes the
water comparatively still. And it was here they
slept, rocking softly on the backwash Here for the
most part, they were safe from all enemies
- the dlmly Swallowed water, there came another
palld shape moving noiseessly smoke down to the
waters edge and paused among the hudded ice cakes.
MoOnless it eyed the sleeping swans. Then warily
withdrawing, it entered the water fifty wards
away, swan out perhaps another fifty yards and ap-
preached the eepers from the direction of the open sea-
the direction from which attack least apprehened
Swimming SO deep in the water that only sharp black
muzze appeared above the surface the prow1g shape
came suddenly and without warning among the swans
OF the seepers by the neck and killed it with single
savage shake
Wide awake on the instant the flock beat I'D into the
air with wild buglngS of CONSERVATION, the great
white bear went splashng shoreward with his prize
he flock flew out to mounting to great height
and circled for nearly an hour in the gmmerng dark
before they could their composure. Then they
came dropping back in silence every eye alert and set
tied once more upon the water couple of hundred
yards from their old sleeping place For perhaps an
other hahour they foated with heads all erect search
ing every ice cake every little tapping And
thereafter, long the flock remained together when
they slept it was always with seepless sentinel
guard.
TT was nearly week later when there came change a
change so sudden that all the forces of the cold were
routed in night The spring, SO long held back came
with soft, delicious rush No shriekng of winds
and roar of along the outer lodges; but instead
waters cleaning under desolate but tranquil sky.
Through long, unclouded days the sun poured down
layishly, the snow fled like lifting mist, and the ice,
collapsng with sivery crash and tnke fell back into
the floods that gave it birth. wave of green-high
thin neably tender-went washing in day all
the lllm1tabe wastes of the maskeeg. Another day,
and the green starred with flowers.
The flock had scattered at once, flying off in pairs
their secluded nesting places The leader and his
had no great way to go; for their place already
chosen. For several they had held tinv slet in
the nearby lake, whose shores that gave
them protection from most enemies. Their nest, of
course invariably swept out of existence by the
winter hurricanes; but they had objection to the
task of nest building.
The islet was no more than handful of moss and
willow scrub caught in tumble of upted rock, and it
but foot above the lake level. The two
swans, working together, the splendid male digent
in the task his mate collected dead sticks and brush
wood from all round the shores of the lake, dragging it
out with their powerful bills from where the storms had
driven it into the tange of the maskeeg They its
foundations solidy and reared it height of some
thing feet that precious contents might
safe from any floods.
Almost before the nest fairly finished the female
began to lay, the ample cup of the nest becoming lined
with down as she went on laying The eggs were big,
obscurely tinted affairs, good twelve inches in the
greater circumference, and with dull, suedelike sur
face. She laid the full complement of her kind which is
six, and then began to set
IN this long and ardous labor the male took no part
But this was not from any lack of sympathy his
part He was ceaseessy on guard and devoted in his
attentions to his utterly preOCCuped mate; and never
did he allow his foragng expeditions to lead him any dis
lance from the nest. When his off feed he
stayed close beside the nest, watching the eggs.
And if any nqusitive saddeback herring gull few
peerng down greedly at the coveted spheres in
the nest he would lift his wings threaeningly and
them off with furious and strident kissing.
For week two, however, this assiduous guardian
ship put no great tax on anything but his patience.
There was no serious danger in sight. pair of the
great white and gray Arctic owls, almost as big as
eagles and far more savage, nesting off the
maskeeg, perhaps half mile away. But these fierce