214 ANATHm 



later in the season, when moving slowly about with its 

 young. Colonel Hawker, in his sporting work, at page 

 261, has printed a few bars of the " Swan's melody, formed 

 with two notes, C and the Minor third (E flat), and the 

 musician, it is said, kept working his head as if delighted 

 with his own performance." 



This bird is found wild in Russia and Siberia; and 

 Mr. Bennett observes that it is found in a wild state in 

 almost every country in Europe. Bechstein particularly 

 mentions Lithuania, Poland, and eastern Prussia. In 

 Germany, young birds that have not been pinioned migrate 

 in autumn. M. Temminck says it is abundant in Holland, 

 and is found in France, Provence, and Italy. Mr. Strick- 

 land says this species visits Smyrna Bay in winter ; it is 

 said to be stationary in Greece, and the Russian natural- 

 ists include it among the birds found in the countries be- 

 tween the Black and the Caspian Seas. 



Swans, it is recorded, were first brought into England 

 from Cyprus, by Richard I., who began his reign in 1189. 

 Swans are particularly referred to in a MS. of the time of 

 Edward I. (1272). 



In England, Dr. Turner notices the Swan with the black 

 tubercle on the beak, in his book on Birds, published in 

 1544, and Sibbald includes it in his Fauna of Scotland, in 

 1684. They were more abundant formerly than at the 

 present time. In the year 1625 (Charles I.), John Tay- 

 lor the water poet made a voyage in his wherry, with five 

 companions, from London to Christchurch, and thence up 

 the Avon to Salisbury, with a view to ascertain what im- 

 pediments existed, to prevent the river from being ren- 

 dered navigable. " As I passed up the Avon," he tells us, 

 " at the least 2000 swans, like so many pilots, swam in the 

 deepest places before me, and showed me the way." 

 Hoards Wiltshire. 



