A Swan's Secret.

Abstract

Now that the breeding-season for birds is coming near, it would be interesting to note if the following sight I saw last spring is common to swans. A pair of swans built on an island on the River Wey, which runs through our grounds, and I stood on the bank opposite their nest, and watched for a view of the cygnets, which were just hatched out. The male bird presently picked up an empty half egg-shell lying beside the nest, and carefully carried it to the edge of the water, some 20 feet from where the nest was built, and proceeded to fill it with mud, and then pushed kit into the river, where it sank to the bottom. He then fetched the only other remaining piece of shell, and did the same. On returning to his nest the last time, he placed a few sticks across the small track he had made, as if to conceal his actions. Evidently this process had been done to each piece of shell, as no other pieces were to be seen, although five cygnets were hatched out.