158 WHOOPER SWAN. 



his odes even supposes himself to be changed into a Swan. Virgil 

 speaks of his poetical brethren in the same way, 



Vare tuum nomen 

 Cantantes sublime ferent ad sidera cygni. 



—Ed., IX, 



But hke a true naturalist, when speaking of the birds he lays aside 



fiction, and gives them their real note, 



Dant sonitum rauci per stagna loquacia cygni. 



— uEneid., Lib. X, 1. 



Swans in severe winters, have been many times observed flying 

 over this county, and sometimes stop for a time on the rivers Wye 

 and Lugg, and on some of the larger ponds of the county. They 

 are at all times very difficult to approach, but instances are known 

 of their having been killed here. 



There is much of history, as well as of poetry, attached to the 

 Swan, for which reference must be made to the pages of Yarrell. 

 An interesting summary is given there of the rights of Swan 

 keeping ; the Acts of Parliament relating to them ; and the mode 

 of marking the birds, which dates back for a very long period. 



A fat Swan loved he, best of eny roost. 



Chaucer— ProZo(/we. 



[CvGNUS iMMUTABiLis — Polish Swan.] 

 An occasional migrant. 



CYGNUS MUSICUS— Whooper Swan. 



Behold the mantling spirit of reserve, 

 Fashions his neck into a goodly curve. 



Manx. 



The Wild Whooper, Elk, or Whistling Swan, as it is variously 



called, owes its name to the peculiar note the birds make, as they 



arrive in flocks, flying wedge-shaped, like Geese, and which sound 



when heard in the air, at a distance, is thought to be melodious. It 



is a winter visitor, and the flocks are generally larger as the weather 



becomes more severe. The Whooper Swan has the end of its beak 



black, whilst the base is quadrangular and yellow. It is not so large 



