INDIAN nUCKS 



(4) CYGNUS BEWICKI. 

 BE^YICK■S SWAN. 



Cyg'iius bewicki, Yarrcll, Trans. L. S. xvl, p. 453 (1830) (Yarmouth, 

 England) ; Hume, S. F. vii, pp. 107 and 464 (1878) ; Hnme & Marsh. 

 Game-B. iii, p. 51 (part), plate (1880) ; Salvadori, Cat. B. M. xxvii, 

 p. 291 (1895) ; Stuart Baker, J. B. N. H. S. xi, p. 14 (1897) ; 

 Blanford, ibid. p. 306 ; Shariie, Hand-L. 1, p. 207 (1899) ; Oates, 

 Man. Game-B. ii, p. 36 (1899) ; Buturlin, Ibis, 1907, p. 651 ; Stnart 

 Baker. Indian Ducks, p. 12, 1908, ul. J. B. N. H. S. xviii, pp. 754-8 

 (1908) ; id. ibid, xxi, p. 273 ; Meincrtzhagen, ibid, xxiv, p. 167 ; 

 Stuart Baker, ibid, x.xiii, p. 456 (1915). 



Cygnus minor, Eetjscrling d- Blasivs, WirbeUhiere, pp. 6, xxxii, and 

 " 222 (1840) ; Stuart Baker, J. B. N. H. S. xi, pi. 1 (1897). 



Description. — Of the Swans with the yellow lores, Bewick's Swan is 

 the smallest, seldom having a wing exceeding 21 inches ; indeed, Buturlin 

 gives the greatest measurement ot any bird measured by him as 20 inches 

 (520 mm.) The bill is strikingly shorter than that of cijgnus, being seldom, 

 if ever, over 3'75 inches (94'2 mm.), whilst it is, on the other hand, com- 

 paratively much deeper at the base, measuring up to 172 inches (43'6 mm.), 

 the diminution in depth, from forehead to tip, is also much more abrupt, 

 so that the upper outline presents a concave appearance. The serrations 

 of the upper mandible in the closed bill are visible over about two-thirds 

 of the total length of the bill. In colouration the yellow is restricted to a 

 portion of the base above, never touching the nostril, and is nearly always 

 well defined from the black in a clean, curved line enclosing the higher 

 extremity of the hollow in which the nostril is placed, and thence extending 

 back along the margin of the upper bill to the gape. The feet also are 

 much smaller, the tarsus generally being less than 3'80 inches (96'5 mm.) 

 whereas in musicus it is generally over 4'2 inches (106'7 mm.), and 

 Buturlin gives the smallest of his series of the latter bird as 4'4 inches 

 (115 mm.). 



Distribution. — Over Northern Europe and Asia as far east as the 

 Lena Delta, extending in some numbers as far west as Great Britain, 

 in winter it extends south into Central Europe and South Russia 

 as far as the Caspian, and in Asia as far south as Persia, northern 



