. 135 



taken of the existing birds to keep them alive durinoj 

 the winter. The number of the Vintners' Black 

 Swans is limited as stated, by the giving away of the 

 surplus birds to such municipal and private owners of 

 ornamental waters as may apply for them. 



EDitoriaL 



''THE SWAN WITH TWO NECKS," AND 

 OTHER SWANS :— In the next issue of The Surrey 

 Comet after that containing the interesting paper re- 

 produced in this number, there appeared the following 

 apropos paragraph : — 



Recalling the facts given in last week's " Comet " in refer- 

 ence to the marking of the Thames swans, one is reminded 

 of that seemingly curious anomaly, "The Swan With Two 

 Necks," still perpetuated by tavern signs up and down the 

 country. This curious creation seems to have been regarded 

 as an object of mystery for a long time, and Timbs, in his cor- 

 rection of curious errors, relates how " weak persons " were led 

 by the sign to accredit such anomaly. The mystery is explain- 

 ed in the substitution of a single letter, the sign being nothing 

 but a corruption of " The Swan With Two Nicks " or niches on 

 the bill, by which means they were marked and distinguished 

 by the owners just as they are to-day. 



By the way, an interesting addition has been made to the 

 swans on the local reaches of the river during the past few 

 days in the arrival of a couple of full grown birds and five 

 cygnets. Their migration has been accomplished under some- 

 what unusual circumstances. The birds had brought their 

 little family into the world on a stream which serves a wharf 

 for workshops and warehouses Commercial-road way, and in 

 view of the fear that harm might come to the young througli 

 baulks of floating timber, the Vintners' Company were asked 

 to have them removed. Consequently one day towards the 



