55 



on the 20th. of February and 16th of March, as I learn 

 from Mr. Thomas Southwell. 



The great swan years of 1854-55, 1860-61, and 

 1870-71 judging by the examples of each species, in 

 our markets and bird-stuffers' shops brought but a 

 small proportion of Bewick's swans in comparison with 

 whoopers. Thus in 1855, although a "herd" of twenty- 

 three Bewick's swans were said to have appeared in 

 Yarmouth roads, one of which was shot ;* and according 

 to Mr. Southwell's notes two other large flocks were ob- 

 served near Lynn, by the late Mr. Newcome, of Feltwell, 

 and Mr. D. C. Burlingham, in both cases on the wing, 

 I have records of only eight procured in that season as 

 against twenty-six whoopers ; and in 1861 and 1864, of 

 but two or three Bewick's swans, when whoopers were 

 exceedingly abundant. In 1871, although from so many 

 of the wild swans shot in this county having been sent 

 to the London markets, it is difficult to arrive at a 

 fair estimate ; yet of the few that came under my own 

 notice (the large numbers of wild swans observed off 

 the coast not coming into this calculation) I should put 

 the proportion of Bewick's swans to whoopers at less 

 than one half. None of these Bewick's swans, also, were 

 procured, until February and March, after a long dura- 

 tion of severe frost, but whoopers had been plentiful 

 from the commencement of the hard weather, in the 

 month of December previous. Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun., 

 who, however, did not visit Leadenhall Market until late 



* St. John, in his " Sport in Moray" (p. 72), speaking of Bewick's 

 swans always appearing in smaller companies than the whooper, 

 says, "I never see above eight together, usually four to five." 

 He also describes them as shorter and more compact in form, as 

 swimming higher in the water, and much tamer on their first 

 arrival, than the common wild swan, which agrees exactly with 

 Mr. Cordeaux's experience in North Lincolnshire. See "Zoolo- 

 gist," 1871, p. 2472. 



