The New Student's Reference Work/Swan

SWAN

Swan, water-birds famous for their long graceful necks, and related to ducks and geese. They inhabit temperate regions, and feed upon seeds, roots and fish-spawn. They have white plumage, except the black swan of Australia — a very beautiful bird with a long, neck, having a graceful curve. It is a dull black, with white on the wings, and a carmine bill crossed by a white band. The European swan, partly domesticated in parks is pure white and one of the handsomest of all birds. South America has a competitor for grace and beauty in the black-necked swan, a small swan with white plumage, except the head and neck which are dark seal-brown. The common swan reaches a length of about five feet and a weight of 30 pounds. The swans of North America are the trumpeter and whistler swans, with straighter necks and, therefore, less grace and beauty than other members of the group. They are smaller than the common swan.