immediately adopted the name I had proposed. I t is gratifying
to observe that M. Temminck, who is acquainted with
the merits of Bewick’s works, has set the example on the
Continent, and adopted this name also*
- This species is one third smaller than the Hooper at the
same age, and appears to go through the same changes of
plumage. I t is first greyish-brown; afterwards white, tinged
with rust colour on the head, and on the under surface of the
belly, and ultimately pure white. Their habits, as far as they
are known here, have been observed by Mr. Blackwall and
Mr. Thompson. These birds have appeared in flocks on
various occasions during winter; they have probably visited
this country jb r many years, but had not been distinguished
from the Hooper. When the external characters were made
known, several museums and collections in different parts of
the country were found to contain specimens.
Some birds that were but slightly wounded in the wing
have -been retained, like our Mute Swan, upon ornamental
waters, but I have not heard that any one has succeeded with
them so far as to induce them to produce their young. I
have one egg which I believe to belong to this species ; it is
very like that of the Hooper but smaller, of a pale brownish?-
white; three inches seven lines long, by two inches six lines
in breadth.
Mr. John Blackwall, in his researches in .Zholigy, after
referring to a specimen of Bewick’s Swan in the Manchester
Museum, says, “ About half-past eight, on the morning of
the 10th of December 1829, a flock of twenty-nine swans,
mistaken by many persons who saw them, for wild geese, was
observed flying over the township of Crumpsall, at an elevation
not exceeding fifty yards above the surface of the earth*
They flew in a line, taking a northerly direction, and their
loud calls, for they were very clamorous, when on the wing,
might be heard to a Considerable distance. I afterwards
learned that they alighted on an extensive reservoir near
Middleton, belonging to Messrs. Burton and Sons, calico-
printers, where they weie shot at, and an individual had one
of its wings so severely injured that it was disabled from accompanying
its companions in their retreat. A short time
since, I had an opportunity of seeing this bird, which resembled
the test of the flock with which it had been associated,
and found, as I had anticipated, that it was precisely
similar to the small swan preserved in the museum at Manchester,
which, I should state, was purchased in the fish
.market in that town, about five or six years ago.”
f | Twenty-nine of these birds congregated together, without
a single Whistling Swan among-them, is a feet so decisive
ofethe distinctness of the Species,” especially when taken in
connexion with those external characters and internal structure
in which it differs from the Hooper, that I should no
longer have deferred to describe it as a new O bird to ornithologists,
had I not been anticipated by Mr. Yarrell.”
; “ Of the habits and manners of this species, little could
,be ascertained from a brief inspection of a wounded individual
; I may remark, however, that when bn the water, it
had somewhat the air and appearance of a goose, being almost
wholly devoid of that grace and majesty by which the Mute
Swan is so advantageously distinguished. I t appeared to be
a shy and timid bird, and could only be approached near by
stratagem, when it intimated its apprehension by uttering its
call. I t carefully avoided the. society, of a Mute Swan which
was on the same piece of water.”
“ On the 28th of February 188Q, at half-past ten in the
morning, seventy-three swans, of the new species, were observed
flying over Crumpsall in a south easterly direction, at
a considerable elevation. They flew abreast, forming an extensive
line, like those seen on the 10 th of December, 1829;
like them, too, they were mistaken for Wild Geese by most