SWAN UPPING ON THE TAKE. 93 



presentatives of each proprietor toss for tlie odd bird. 

 Such, at least, is the custom on the Yare, as it could 

 never be amicably settled whether the cock or the hen^ 

 should carry the extra cygnet. A curious and most 

 unusual circumstance, however (entirely upsetting Sir 

 Edward Coke's theory as given in the preceding foot- 

 note), has occurred on the Yare Avithin the last five 

 years, two cock swans having each paired with two 

 hens. In the one case a hen died in the first or 

 second year of this double pairing, and the cock bird 

 remained faithful to his surviving mate; in the other 

 the bigamous alliance continued for four seasons with 

 the following result as to cygnets — the above facts being- 

 vouched for both by Steward and Eich : — 



1870. Seven cygnets — one hen five, the other two. 



1871. Eight cygnets — one hen seven, the other one. 



1872. Thirteen cygnets — one hen eight, the other five. 



1873. None; the eggs dropped about and destroyed. 

 In the latter instance the cock bird belonged to the Cor- 

 poration, the two hens to Mr. Gilbert, of Cantley, and 

 the cygnets were divided as equally as possible. 



The swan-mark, or Cygninota,f as Sir Edward Coke 

 terms it, is cut with a knife in the upper surface of the 

 beak, and has a raw, pinkish hue when freshly done, 

 especially on the blue beaks of the birds of the year. 

 Some swanherds are said to have rubbed in Indian ink 

 or wet gunpowder, to render the marks more lasting, 



* The terms Cob and Pen in swanherds' language denoting the 

 male and female swan, respectively, are not in use on the Yare, 

 though they may be in other parts of the county. 



f The swan-marks, as stated by Yarrell, " consisted of annulets, 

 chevrons, crescents, crosses, initial letters, and other devices, some of 

 which had reference to the heraldic arms of, or the offices borne by, 

 the swan owners." As shown by his illustrations, some are much 

 more elaborate in design than others, but simple forms are most 

 used on the Yare. 



