50 THE RIVER-SIDE NATURALIST. 



Some declare that a great deal of this "neadful meate " 

 consists of the spawn of fish, but in this respect the bird 

 is probably much vilified. It certainly clears away a 

 number of noxious water-plants which would in a measure 

 choke up our streams, particularly the Elodia canadensis, 

 or water-thyme, a North American plant, which bade fair at 

 one time to become a national nuisance. 



A male swan in full plumage is a magnificent object. 

 Milton in " Paradise Lost " describes how 



" The swan with arched neck, 

 Between her white wings mantling, proudly rows 

 Her state with oary feet." 



And the following is Thomson's description of the male 

 bird during the nesting season : 



" The stately sailing swan 

 Gives out his snowy plumage to the gale, 

 And, arching proud his neck, with oary feet 

 Bears forward fierce, and guards his osier isle, 

 Protective of his young." 



Yarrell truly remarks " that the swan is perhaps, of all 

 others, the most beautiful living ornament of our rivers 

 and lakes." 



The swan so familiar to us is the mute swan (Cygnus 

 olor)j a different species to the wild swan, hooper, elk, or 

 whistling swan (Cygnus musicus), and easily recognised by 

 the beak. The mute swan has a rich red orange beak with 

 a black base and a large black knob. The wild swan, or 

 hooper, has a black beak with a bright yellow base, with little 

 or no knob (see Figs. I and 2). 



Swans are now rarely met with below Chelsea Bridge ; 

 but in former days they were often seen in the Pool below 

 London Bridge. 



Our mute swan is a native of Cyprus, and was intro- 

 duced into this countr} 7 some time in the twelfth century. 



The swan has a mythological history. It is the bird of 

 Apollo. Cycnus, the son of Hyrie and Apollo, having 

 thrown himself off Mount Teumesus in a fit of resentment, 

 was transformed into a swan. Ovid tells of another Cycnus, 



