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XXIII. On a new Species of Wild Swan, taken in England, and 

 hitherto confounded with the Hooper. By William Yarrell, Esq. 

 F.L.S. 



Read January 19, 1830. 



It is now about six years since I prepared and preserved the 

 trachea and part of the bones of a young Wild Swan, shot in 

 this country, which, possessing peculiarities I had never ob- 

 served in the bones of the Hooper at any age, induced me to 

 believe it would prove to belong to a distinct species. 



At the sale of part of the valuable Museum of Joshua Brookes, 

 Esq., I became possessed of the sternum and trachea of a Wild 

 Swan which had been prepared by Dr. Leach, and presented 

 by that distinguished naturalist to Mr. Brookes ; this also, from 

 its anatomical structure, appeared to be distinct from that of 

 the Hooper, and is now ascertained to belong to an adult bird 

 of the same species as the bones of the young one just men- 

 tioned. 



I was presented in December last, by I. B. Baker, Esq., with 

 the sternum and trachea of a third example of this new species, 

 shot at Yarmouth during the winter of 1827-28, and of which 

 I had an opportunity of examining the skin while under prepa- 

 ration for mounting for that gentleman's collection at Hard- 

 wicke Court. 



In age and consequent developement of structure, this third 

 example was intermediate between the two I at that time pos- 

 sessed, and proved a valuable addition. 



During the late severe weather, Wild Swans were unusually 



numerous. 



