COMMON SHIELDRAKE, 
239. MUTE SWAN—(Cygnus olor.) 
The Common tame Swan of our ornamental waters.—They 
are found wild in many, if not all, the northern countries of 
Europe. It is too well known by everyone to require detailed 
notice here. 
240. POLISH SWAN—(Cyguus immutabilis). 
A bird of very rare occurrence in a wild state, and deriving its 
Latin name from the circumstance that its plumage undergoes no 
change in colour at any period of its age. It is always white. 
The cygnets of the other swans are, on the contrary, grey or 
dusky-coloured for a lengthened period, and only become white 
on their reaching maturity. 
941. RUDDY SHIELDRAKE—(Zadorna rutiia). 
A bird of exceedingly rare occurrence. 
242. COMMON SHIELDRAKE—(TZuadorna vulpanser). 
Burrow Duck, Skel Goose, Bar Goose.—One of the very most 
beautiful of all our wild fowl, or even of those which for their 
beauty are selected to be ornamental accessions to the waters of 
the park or pleasure-ground. Its plumage is so beautiful and 
clear and brilliant, and its attitude in repose so graceful, one 
cannot but admire it greatly. It breeds not uncommonly on 
many sandy parts of our coasts, occupying the deep rabbit-bur- 
rows, which are found in what are called the “sand-hills,” to 
place its nest in. The nest is one really, made of bents and dry 
stalks, and lined or cushioned with down liberally plucked from 
the builder’s own breast. The number of eggs laid varies between 
eight or nine and twelve or fourteen. They are nearly or quite 
white, about 23 inches long by nearly 2 in breadth. I have 
known instances in which the eggs obtained from one of their 
nests have been hatched under a common Hen. ‘The young 
seemed to accustom themselves to their life of restraint tolerably 
