ANATID.€. 



415 



.^ 



BEWICK'S SWAN. 



Cygnus bewicki, Yarrell. 



This Swan — which is one-third less than the Whooper, and pre- 

 sents noticeable differences in the smaller size and distribution of 

 the yellow patch at the base of the bill — was recognized as a visitor 

 to this country by Yarrell in 1829, and almost simultaneously by 

 R. Wingate of Newcastle. Subsequent experience has shown that 

 Bewick's Swan is of fairly frequent occurrence in severe winters on 

 some parts of the coasts of England and Wales, although rarer than 

 its larger congener; while in Scotland it is sometimes abundant — 

 especially in the Outer Hebrides — and occurs in the Orkneys. All 

 over Ireland, as already remarked, it is far more numerous than the 

 Whooper; Mr. R. Warren writes that on December 17th 1880 

 more than two hundred were seen together on Lough Cullen, 

 CO. Mayo; and during the unexampled frost of 1881 eight hundred 

 were observed at one time on the lake of Castle Gregory in 

 CO. Kerry ; while even thousands are said to have been counted in 

 other localities. Sir R. Payne-Gallwey states that there is a strong 

 feeling in Ireland — especially in the west — against slaying a Swan, 

 and the majority of fowlers cannot be induced to fire at one. 



Bewick's Swan has not been found in Greenland or Iceland, and 



