iv 
DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS. 239 
BEWICK’S SWAN. 
Long confused with the preceding Swan, the 
distinctness of the present species was recognised by 
Yarrell, who named it Cygnus dewick, in honour of 
Thomas Bewick, naturalist and engraver on wood, 
known to most readers as the author of the 
British Birds and British Quadrupeds. Bewick's 
Swan is only a winter visitor to the coasts and 
inland waters of the British Islands, spending the 
summer far away in the Arctic regions of Europe 
and Asia. The habits of this Swan are very 
similar to those of the preceding species. The bird 
may be distinguished from the Hooper by its 
much smaller size, and by the yellow patch at the 
base of the bill being much less in extent, never 
extending below the nostrils. Bewick’s Swan is 
perhaps not quite so maritime as the Hooper, pre- 
ferring the large inland sheets of water, and more 
or less sheltered lochs and fjords, to the open sea. 
It is seen in greatest numbers in Ireland and 
Scotland, and during severe winters visits us in 
greatest numbers. At these times some of the 
flocks are remarkably large, numbering hundreds or 
even thousands of individuals. Its food is not 
known to differ from that of the preceding species ; 
its flight is equally rapid; and its note, short and 
musical, has been syllabled as ¢ong. Imposing as 
these birds are, and by no means rare, they can 
scarcely be classed as very prominent features of 
