24 INDIAN DUCKS 



(6) CYGNUS OLOR. 



THE MUTE SWAN. 



Alias olor, a-mel. Si/st. Nat. i, pfc. 2, p. 502 (1788) ; Latham, Ind. Urn. 

 ii, p. 834 (1790). 



Cyg-nus olor, VieiU. Notiv. Diet. d'Uist. Nat. ix, p. 37 (1817) ; Scullij' 

 S. F. iv, p. 197 (1876) ; Blanforcl, S. F. vii, pp. 99, 100, 101 (1878) ; 

 Hiiinr, S. F. vii, pp. 101, 106 (1878) ; /</. P. A. S. B. (1878), p. 138; 

 Hume <C Marsh. Game-B. In/], iii, p. 41, pi. (1880) ; Salvador!, 

 Cat. B. M. xxvii, p. 35 (1895) ; Stuart Baker, J. B. N. H. S. xi, 

 p. 16, plate (1897): Sliarpe, Hand-L. i, p. 209 (1899); Cummimi, 

 J. B. N. II. S. xvi, p. 697 ; Oatcs, Man. Garne-B. ii, p. 26 (1899) ; 

 Sleenhoff, J. B. N. II. .S. xx, p. 1155 (1911) (Mekran) ; Eadclife, ibid. 

 xxiv, p. 167 (1915) ; Stuart Baker, iliid. xxiii, p. 458 (1915) 

 (Beluchistan) ; Mayrath, ibid. p. 601 (1916) (Kohat). 



Cygnus unwini, Hime, Ibi% 1871, p. 413 ; Blanford, S. F. vii, p. 100 

 (1878) ; Hume, S. F. vii, p. 104 (1878). 



Cygnus sibilus, Hume, S. F. vii, p. 105 (1878). 



Cygnus altumi, Homeyer, Hume, S. F. \ii, p. 105 (1878). 



Cygnus sp. Blanford, S. F. vii, p. 100 (1878) ; Hume, ibid, vii, p. 104 

 (1878). 



Description. Adult Male. — The whole plumage white, with the exception 

 of the loves, which are black. Bill, the tubercle, base of maxilla, nostrils, 

 margins, and nails black, remainder of maxilla reddish-horny, mandible 

 wholly black, legs and feet dull black, irides rich brown. 



Measurements.— Total length from 4 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 2 inches, 

 wing 23 to 27 inches, tail about 10, culmen 4'2, tarsus about 4'5, but 

 varying very much. 



Weight about 15 to 20 lbs., in a wild state rarely running up to 24 or 25 

 lbs., in a tame state birds of 30 lbs. may be met with, and heavier birds 

 even than this have been recorded. 



Female. — Smaller than the male, and with the tubercle at the base of 

 the bill less developed. The neck is also more developed and the bird 

 " swims deeper in the water " (Hume). In the majority of the birds of 

 this order the duck swims deeper than the drake, the reason of this being 

 the different anatomical structure of the sexes. 



' " I am not certain that I have identified the species. No spccuuen was 

 pi'eserved." — J. S. 



