ACCIDENTAL VISITORS. 243 



Trumpeter Swan, Cygnus buccinator, Richardson. 



2. Five swans were seen and four shot near Slaughden Oct. 1866 

 (Hele, Aid,, 147; Sewell, Oat, Aid. Mus., 13 (Aid. 1877); Sarting, 

 Handbook, 155); one of these, immature, is now in the Ipswich (formerly 

 in the Aldeburgh) Museum; Mr. Hele called it species mcerta,[but it was 

 pronounced by Mr. J. H. Gurney, sen., who examined it at Aldeburgh, 

 as well as by Prof. Newton and others who have seen it at Ipswich, 

 and knew the bird, to be of the above species. The others shot were 

 eaten, and the skins were plucked for their down before their 

 peculiarities were observed (Hele, in ML). For an account of this 

 North American species see Dresser B. of Eur. vi., 439; and Coues, 

 Key to N. Amer. B. 682 (Lond. 1884). 



Since the above was printed, Mr. Howard Saunders' 

 account of the British Swans has appeared in Yarrell ; he 

 says that the sternum of one of the birds in this flock 

 proved on examination to have no cavity for the windpipe, 

 therein resembling the Mute Swan, whereas the genuine 

 C. buccinator has a cavity like that in the Whooper (iv., 

 322). It is quite possible however that the two species may 

 have been in company ; compare Ruddy Sheldrake just 

 below ; many other similar comparisons might be made.* 



* InowlearnfromMr.HowardSaunders Mute bird. I forwarded the head and 

 the authority on which his statement was feet of another of these birds, one of the 

 made. Mr. J. H. Gurney, sen., had sent same lot shot at the same time, to the 

 him the following memorandum entered Field office, and the following Saturday 

 in his copy of flele's Aldeburgh : — "The appeared in the Field the opinion ex- 

 head and feet of another of those swans pressed that they were only Mute swans. 

 were sent to the Field, and the late Mr. The next Saturday, however, there was 

 Newman decided that they belonged to a a further note that the head and feet had 

 Trumpeter Swan. In August, 1871, [how- been further examined and the opinion 

 ever] he wrote to J. H. G[urney], jun. : — was that they were those of a Trumpeter 

 The head and feet of the supposed (i.e. the Swan. There was also a request that I 

 second) Trumpeter Swan, were thoroughly should forward the sternum and trachea, 

 examined by our friend Gatcombe and Mr. This I believe I did — the only one avail- 

 Power, and were then thrown away ; able — and that with considerable trouble 

 Mr. Power has the sternum; it had no being the cooked remains of one of the 

 cavity for the windpipe." — This, however, specimens. The opinion expressed was 

 Professor Newton remarks, " is only what doubtful, and when I wrote my book 

 might be expected considering the im- some time after (in 1870) from notes made 

 maturity of the birds." Mr. Hele and Dr. at the time of the birds being shot, I placed 

 W. H. Power have kindly furnished me them as species incerta. Professor Newton 

 with all the information they could upon came to Aldeburgh and saw the stuffed bird, 

 the subject. The former says "I forget how and, after comparing it with a specimen 

 the sternum came into Dr. Power's at Cambridge, was of opinion that it was 

 possession. I think the case stood as decidedly a Trumpeter Swan." Dr. Power 

 follows. When the bird was fairly writes :" I am not able to lay my hands on 

 mounted I first took notice of its peculiari- the notes I made at the time but I 

 ties, for, before, I looked upon it as a perfectly well remember the facts as to 



