THE MUTE OR TAME SWAN. 93 



This species is chiefly known as an ornament on 

 our rivers or artificial waters, and at a very early 

 period of our history so much importance was 

 attached to having these birds, that laws were en- 

 acted, and it required a certain qualification and 

 sometimes royal consent for persons to keep them 

 on their domain, and hence different marks were 

 adopted by which the owners or companies could 

 distinguish their own birds. Mr. Yarrell, in his 

 history of this bird, has given a very interesting ab- 

 stract of the ancient laws and usages regarding this 

 subject, to which we shall refer our readers.* The 

 marks were generally made upon the bill in the 

 manner represented on the accompanying cut, which 

 we have taken the liberty to borrow from one of the 

 many which the above mentioned intelligent author 

 has given. 



The upper figure is the Royal Swan-mark of our 



most gracious Queen, Victoria, who at the last swan- 



* Yarrell, Brit. Birds, vol. iii. p. 124. 



