276 



DUCKS, GEESE, SWANS, AND PELICANS. 



The flesh of the Swan is very indifferent in flavour. Our fore- 

 fathers ate it, but merely from ostentation, for it was only served 

 up on the tables of the greatest nobles. At the present day, the 

 city of Norwich has a preserve for Swans, which are only eaten at 

 the municipal feasts, or sent as presents to distinguished indi- 

 viduals. In these cases, the birds being young and tenderly fed, 

 are by no means, if properly cooked, a dish to be despised. The 

 inhabitants of the frozen regions of the extreme north, even with 

 their imperfect system of cuisine, do not entirely disdain it ; but 

 the cause for this is apparently something analogous to the philo- 

 sophical saying, " as there are no thrushes, we eat blackbirds." 



The river Thames is remarkable for the number of Swans which 

 live on it. The greater quantity of them belong to the Queen ; the 



Fig. 100. — Black Swans (Cygnus atratus). 



others chiefly to the Vintners' and Dyers' Companies of the City of 

 London ; but we never heard that these feast their guests on 

 the noble birds. Deputations from the companies make an 

 annual visit to their preserves, called Swan-hopping, or capering 

 — that is, catching the cygnets, and marking them in the presence 

 of the royal swanherd with the distinguishing brand of the society 

 to whom the parent bird belonged. 



Two species of Swans were recognised by Linnaeus ; but later 



