POLISH SWAN. 345 



tail-feathers then showing were pale yellowish-huff; the 

 wing-coverts the same colour ; all the other parts from which 

 the down has not yet been moulted, pure white. On the 

 20th of August I again saw three of the cygnets ; they 

 had then assumed nearly all their feathers, and were more 

 than half-grown ; the colour was white, apparently stained 

 or sullied by a yellowish tint, which was strongest on the 

 wing-coverts ; feet pale ash-colour, and beak a purplish 

 flesh-colour, differing entirely from the lead- colour of the 

 bill in the young Mute Swan of the same age. The colour 

 of the feet did not differ greatly from that of the young of 

 the Mute Swan ; and I agree with Mr. Stevenson, that at no 

 stage of growth is this a character to be depended upon. 

 When the breeze lifted the feathers upon the back of the 

 young birds the buff tinge was more visible. There were 

 also several peculiarities about the head, with which, 

 although very important, I will not trouble you. 



" I think it may be taken as proved that there is a Swan 

 which produces white or nearly white cygnets. With re- 

 gard to Professor Westerman's remarks to Mr. Gurney, that 

 he had known a brood of mixed cygnets in Holland, and 

 other instances recorded in ' The Field ' for July 8th, 1871, 

 in which a pair of Swans in Wales produced three white 

 cygnets in a brood of the usual colour in one year, and a 

 single one in another — the only instances of mixed broods 

 I have ever heard of — I would say that I have very little 

 doubt one of the parents in each case was a Polish bird, or 

 that they were of mixed blood. From the fact of more than 

 one Pohsh Swan killed in this neighbourhood having been 

 partially pinioned, I am led to believe that, although others 

 have been undoubtedly wild specimens, there are birds of 

 this species at large on our waters unknown to their owners, 

 and that various degrees of infusion of Polish blood may 

 account for individuals which I have observed in several 

 ornamental waters partaking more or less of the characters 

 of both species. Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun., has told me of 

 such birds on the Serpentine, and at Gatton Park ; I have 

 noticed others ; and one on the lake in Battersca Park, so 



VOL. IV. Y Y 



