Mr. Blackwall on the Cygnus Bewickii. 189 
Art. XXIX. Observations on a newly-described Species of 
Swan. By Joun Biacxwatt, Esg., F.L.S., &c. 
Tue London Literary Gazette, published on the 23rd of January, 
contains the following notice, under the head “ Linnean Society,’ pages 
56, 57. Another interesting communication, from the pen of William 
“ Yarrell, Esq., F.L.S., &c., was also read; it was on a new species of 
* Wild Swan, taken in England, and hitherto confounded with the 
‘ Hooper. The scientific author in this paper observed, that European 
** naturalists had as yet admitted but one Wild Swan in their systematic 
* catalogues; repeated dissections, however, convinced him of the ex- 
‘« istence of a second species, ‘The new Swan was represented as one- 
‘* third smaller than the Hooper, but very similar to that well-known 
‘« bird in its external characters. In their internal structure they were 
*< stated to be decidedly different; and the comparative anatomy of both 
‘« was detailed at some length. A preserved bird of both species, and 
“« several prepared parts of each, as well as numerous drawings, were on 
«« the table, in illustration of the subject. The various anatomical pecu- 
** liarities of this new species were considered highly interesting, and the 
* proofs of distinction conclusive.” 
From an examination of the various specimens of Swans contained in 
the Manchester Museum, two of whichare Whistling Swans, or Hoopers, 
one in mature and the other in immature plumage, and a third is of the 
kind so recently described by Mr. Yarrell, I have, for several years past, 
strongly suspected that there are two distinct species of the genus Cygnus 
which occasionally visit this country. But, notwithstanding the compara- 
tively small size of the last-mentioned bird, its more clumsy figure, and 
the snowy whiteness of its plumage, which indicates maturity, its general 
appearance bears so striking a resemblance to that of the Hooper, that I 
hesitated to announce it as a new species previously to my having made 
myself acquainted in some measure with its habits and internal organiza- 
tion, no opportunity of investigating which had hitherto presented itself. 
My attention has again been directed to this interesting subject, and 
my former suspicion corroborated, by a remarkable circumstance that 
