MUTE SWAN. 431 



and in 1652, in the household accounts of the Qiffords, is 

 an entry of a Swanherd with his coat and badge ; the cost of 

 the same being returned as 23s. lod. (Whitaker's " Craven," 

 2nd Ed. 1812, p. 321.) 



Thomas Allis, 1844, wrote : — 



Cygnus tnansueius. — Mute Swan — I have obtained a specimen of 

 this bird from near Sutton-on-Derwent, the favourite locaUty of Ferus, 

 it was nevertheless most probablyan escaped bird from some gentleman's 

 enclosure, or may have been the next species, of the existence of which 

 I was not then aware. 



Although this Swan is domesticated in the country, yet 

 there are now many existing in a wild state on the European 

 Continent, and it is quite possible some of those which are 

 seen at large, especially in the neighbourhood of the coast, 

 may be ferce natiircB. Examples of this species have occurred 

 at various times and places, but in the majority of cases it 

 is not possible to discriminate between " escapes " and wild 

 birds. 



[Polish Swan [Cygnus immtitahilis, Yarrell). 

 Thomas Allis, 1844, observed of this bird, which has no 

 claim to specific rank : — 



Cygnus immutabilis. — Polish Swan — Arthur Strickland writes " I 

 have no doubt this bird has frequently been seen on this coast but has 

 not been discriminated from the other species, most probably taken 

 for the domestic Swan. On the 13th of this month (1844) a flock 

 of pure white Swans was seen on the sea not far from the Pier at 

 Bridlington ; the circumstance of finding a flock of white Swans at 

 this season immediately attracted my attention, as it was obvious 

 they must be all old birds (a very unlikely circumstance), or they must 

 be a family group of the changeless Swan ; fortunately one was pro- 

 cured, and upon examination I have no doubt of the species ; it had 

 every appearance of a young bird, but if so could only be of this species, 

 but it must be observed that without knowing the particulars of their 

 plumage, it would have been at once considered the domestic Swan 

 •with the knob on the bill partly developed; the breast bone and windpipe 

 were like that of the domestic Swan, not that of the Wild or the Bewick 

 species." 



In addition to the instance of this doubtful species referred 

 to by Allis, one was reported by the late J. Harrison of 



