128 ANATID.E. 



City of London, as used in tlie reign of Elizabeth. These 

 two companies liave long enjoyed the privilege of preserving 

 Swans on the Thames, from London to a considerable dis- 

 tance, some miles above Windsor, and they continue the 

 ancient custom of proceeding with their friends and visiters, 

 with the royal swanherd's man, and their own swanherds 

 and assistants, on the first Monday of August in every year, 

 from Lambeth, on their Swan voyage, for the purpose of 

 catching and marking all the cygnets of the year, and renew- 

 ing any marks in old birds that may by time have become 

 partially obliterated. Mr. Kernpe says, " the struggles of 

 the Swans when caught by their pursuers, and the duckings 

 which the latter received in the contest, made this a diversion 

 with our ancestors of no ordinary interest." 



The forming circles or annulets on the beak as observed in 

 these two ancient marks, being considered as inflicting more 

 severe pain upon the bird than straight lines, these rings are 

 now omitted, and the lines doubled, as shown in the marks 

 numbered 14 and 1.5, which are those of the Dyers'* and 

 Vintners' Companies as used at this time. Nos. 12 and 14 

 being the ancient and modern mark of the Dyers' Company : 

 Nos. 13 and 15, the ancient and modern mark of the Vint- 

 ners'' Company. 



The two nicks in the swan mark of the Vintners'* Com- 

 pany, which have so often been the subject of notice, are 

 probably intended for two half lozenges, or a demi-lozcngc, 

 on each side ; the V is perhaps a chevron reversed ; the arms 

 of the company being — Sable, a chevron between three tons, 

 argent. I think it probable that the V is only the chevron 

 reversed, for the true chevron could scarcely be cut on the 

 beak of the bird without each lateral branch crossing its elon- 

 gated and tender nostril, and this, from a feeling of humanity, 

 the marker would also be disposed to avoid. The chevron 

 reversed, for many of these swan marks are evidently heraldic, 



