. Frank Forester's field sports of the United States and British provinces of North America [microform]. Game and game-birds; Hunting; Gibier; Chasse. FRANK FOKESTEk's FIELD SPORTS. but three of them feeding together, one will generally he f)n guard, and when danger approaches there is some mute sign ni' alarm, for I have never heard a sound at such times. " However much noise has been made before, the instant an alai-m occurs there is perfect silence, their heads are erected, a moment's examination determines their course, when, if the case be not too urgent, they depend on swimming if e
. Frank Forester's field sports of the United States and British provinces of North America [microform]. Game and game-birds; Hunting; Gibier; Chasse. FRANK FOKESTEk's FIELD SPORTS. but three of them feeding together, one will generally he f)n guard, and when danger approaches there is some mute sign ni' alarm, for I have never heard a sound at such times. " However much noise has been made before, the instant an alai-m occurs there is perfect silence, their heads are erected, a moment's examination determines their course, when, if the case be not too urgent, they depend on swimming if escape be neces- sary. They raroly fly evsn from tlie pursuit of a boat, unless very closely followed, and when they do arise from the water, eitlier for escape or from choice, it is generally with a scream, and when alighting particularly among others, there is usually a *how dye do' sort of expression on all sidgs. Even when wing-broke they can swim with great rapidity, and if not other- wise hurt, a single oarsman in the best constructed boat, can rarely oveitake them. " Whilst feeding and dressing. Swans make much noise, and through the night their vociferations can be heard for several miles. Their notes are extremely varied, some closely resem- bling the deepest base of the common tin-horn, whilst others i-un through every modulation of false note of the French-horn or clarionet. Whether this difference of note depends on age or sex I am not positively assured. " The Swan requires five or six years to reach its perfect ma- turity of size and plumage, the yearling cygnet being about one- third the magnitude of the adult, and having feathers of a deep leaden color. The smallest Swan I have ever examined, and it was killed in my presence, weighed but eight pounds. Its plumage was very deeply tinted, and it had a bill of a very beau- tiful flesh-color, and very soft. This cygnet, I presume, was a yearling, for I killed one myself the same day, whose feathers were les
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, booksubjectg, booksubjecthunting
