450 THE LESSER SWAN. 



parted with them. They were sensible to cold, and soon 

 became tame. Yarrell describes the Cygnus immutabilis as 

 a large swan, imported by dealers from the Baltic. My 

 belief is, that they are identical with those caught in Scania, 

 being young birds of the preceding year, with perhaps old 

 ones that had not paired ; in the same way as one may see 

 large flocks of scoter and velvet ducks off Dungeness in 

 June and July, which have not migrated for the purpose of 

 breeding. The eider certainly does not breed until two years 

 old, and this is very likely the case with the black duck and 

 many others, which may be seen in flocks in spring and 

 summer together. The specimens shot in England, and 

 designated Polish swans, are probably young birds getting 

 out of their accustomed course southwards, as young birds 

 frequently do to wit, the numerous specimens of young 

 divers (Colymbus arcticus and septrionalis) but it scarcely 

 ever happens that an old one is seen." 



Neither is the Cygnus minor, or Lesser Swan spoken of 

 by Pallas, in his " Zoogr. Rosso-Asiat.,"* under the above 

 expressive and distinctive appellation, nearly a century ago ; 

 but to which Yarrell has given the somewhat unmeaning 

 name of -C. Bewickii included by Swedish naturalists 

 amongst the Scandinavian birds. But, although no one 

 hitherto seems to have observed it in the peninsula, yet, as 

 it is occasionally met with in Denmark, and not unfrequently 

 to my knowledge killed in the north of Germany, there can 

 be little doubt as to its being an occasional visitor to Sweden. 

 Pallas assigns Siberia as the home of this bird, in which 

 country he describes it as exceedingly common. 



* Vol. ii, p. 214, No. 316. 



