CHANGELESS SWAN. 657 



mandibles and unguis black ; the lower mandible yellow in 

 the middle only. The bare space at the base of the tail 

 black. The feet dusky grey, on the inner side light grey; the 

 membranes darker ; the claws brownish-black, pale at the 

 base. The plumage pure white. 



Length to end of tail 64 inches ; extent of wings 96 ; wing 

 from flexure 25 ; tail 8 ; bill from joint 4^ ; from the knob 

 3j ; from the eye 5^- ; its height at the base, including the 

 knob 2yV ; breadth 1-^; tarsus 44; ; first toe 1^-, its claw -fa; 

 second toe 4^, its claw 1 ; third toe 5 T 8 ¥ , its claw 4^- ; fourth 

 toe 5-^, its claw \%. 



Female. — There having been a great mortality among 

 the birds of the Zoological Garden in Edinburgh, I obtained 

 in March, 1841, an inspection of a female, the mate or com- 

 panion of the male above described. As represented by that 

 individual, the female differs from the male only in being 

 smaller, and in having but a very slight protuberance in place 

 of the elevated knob at the base of the bill. The bare space 

 between it and the eye is greyish-black ; the bill orange-red, 

 with the nasal space, the margins and unguis of the upper 

 mandible, and a great part of the lower, black. The bare 

 part of the tibia, the tarsus, and the toes, are pale bluish-grey; 

 the webs blackish-grey ; the claws black, light-coloured at the 

 base. The plumage white. 



Length to end of tail 58 inches ; extent of wings 88 ; 

 wing from flexure 22 ; tail 7^ ; bill from the joint along the 

 ridge 3 T 8 Y ; from the eye 5-^j ; its height at the base 1^ ; 

 breadth at the base 1-^ ; middle 1^- ; behind the unguis 

 Ixj ; bare part of the tibia 14-; tarsus 4 T 2 ¥ ; hind toe 1^, its 

 claw -^ ; second toe 4^, its claw 4J- ; third toe 5-^, its claw 

 4J- ; fourth toe 5^, its claw -fe. 



Habits. — This species which, being very similar to the 

 Common or Tame Swan, had been confounded with it, was 

 first distinguished and described by Mr, Yarrell. He states 

 that " the London dealers in birds have long been in the 

 habit of receiving from the Baltic a large Swan, which they 

 distinguish by the name of the Polish Swan." " During the 



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