New-York tribune., 1911-04-02

slept. rocking softly on the backwash Here, for the
most part, they were safe from all enemies.
pUT one night as they slept shadowy, pale shapes on
- the dmly shadowed water, there came another
pald shape. moving noiSeeSSy as smoke down to the
waters edge and paused among the huddled ice cakes
NoonlcSs it eyed the sleeping swans. lhen war1ly
withdrawing. it entered the water some fifty yards
away, swan out perhaps another fifty yards. and ap-
preached the seepcr from the direction OF the open sea-
the direction from which attack was least apprehended
Swimming deep in the water that only sharp black
mizzle appeared above the surface. the proving shape
came suddenly and without warning among the swans
Rearing half its length above the surface 1t seized one
of the Seepers by the neck and killed 1t with single
savage shake
Wide awake on the instant. the flock beat up into the
air with wild bugngS of CONSERVATION, the great
white bear went splashng shorcward with his prize.
The flock flew out sea. mounting TO great height
and crcled for nearly an hour in the glmmerng dark
before they could their compoSure Then they
dropping back silence, every eye alert and set
tied once more upon the water couple OF hundred
wards from their old sleeping place For perhaps an
other half they oted with heads all erect search
ing every cake, every little tapping wave crest And
thereafter. long the flock remained together when
they slept il always with SleepeSs sentinel on
guard.
TT was reary week later when there change,
change so sudden that all the forces Of the cold were
routed in night. The spring 50 long held back came
with soft, delicious rush. No more Shrckng OF winds
and of along the outer lodges; but, instead
bland airs that brcathcd of soaking moss and wide still
waters cleaning under deSolate but tranquil sky.
Through long. uncouded days the poured down
lavshy, the snow fled like lifting mist and the ice
colapsng with slvery crash and nkle fell back into
the floods that gave it birth wave OF green-high
thin ineffably tendcr-wen washing in day all across
the illimablc wastes of the maSkeeg Another day,
and the green starred with flowers.
The flock had scattered at flying off in pairs to
their secluded nesting places. The leader and his mate
had no great way TO co. tor their place was already
l.. Il h4I bali IN
the nearby lake whose shores moraSS that gave
them protection from most enemies. Their nest, OF
course. invariably swept out OF existence by the
winter hurricanes but they had no objection to the
task of nest building.
The set was no more than handful of moss and
willow scrub caught in tumble OF uptiltcd rock and 1t
rose but a foot or 50 above the lake level The two
swans working together. the splendid male as dlligent
in the task as his mate collected dead sticks and brush
wood from all round the shores Of the lake. dragging 1t
with their powerful bills from where the storms had
driven into the tanglc OF the maSkccg They It's
foundations Soliy. and reared II TO height OF some
thing two feet, that its precious contents might be
safe from Hoods.
Almost before the nest fairly finished the female
began to Law the ample cup of the nest becoming lined
with down as she went on laying The eggs were big,
obscrclv tinted affairs. good twelve inches IN the
greater circumference. and with dull Suedelke sur
face She laid the full complement Of her kind, which IS
six. and then began To set.
IN this long and arduouS labor the male took no part
1 But this was not from any ac; Of sympathy on his
part He was ceaSccSSly on guard and devoted IN his
attentions his utterly preoCcuped mate; and never
did he allow his foragng expeditions to lead him any dis
tance from the nest When his mate came off to feed he
STAYED close beside the nest, watching over the eggs
And if any inquStive Saddcback or herring gull flew
over peering down grecdv the coveted spheres in
the nest he would lift his wings threaeningly and warn
them off with furious and Strident kissing.
For week or two. however. this aSSiduouS guardian
ship put no great tax anything but his patience
4. .,nlf y nsr nt he
great white and gray Arctic hawkowls, almost as big as
eagles and far more savage nesting of on the