284 NATATORES. CYGNUS. SWAN 



BEWICK'S SWAN. 

 CYGNUS BEWICKII, Yarrell. 

 PLATE XLVII. 



Cygnus Bewickii, Yarrell in Trans. Linn. Soc. 12, 445. Selby in Trans. 



Nat. Hist. Soc. of Northumberland, Durham, and Newcastle, vol. 1. 18. 



Jardine and Selby^s Illust. of Orn. pi. 95. 

 New Species of Swan, Wing. Trans. Nat. Hist. Soc. Northumberland, 



Durham, and Newcastle, 1.1. 

 Bewick's Swan, Jardine and Selby's Illus. of Orn. pL 95. 



THIS recently discovered species, in size about one-third 

 less than the Whistling Swan, is also amongst the number of 

 our British winter visitants ; and though less numerous as a 

 visitant, species than the other, is occasionally met with in England 

 during every severe winter. The merit of the first discovery 

 of the present species is due to Mr RICHARD WINGATE of 

 Newcastle-upon-Tyne, who, in consequence of the observa- 

 tions he had made upon two specimens of Wild Swans killed 

 in the neighbourhood, in the winter of 1828-9, read a paper 

 before the Literary and Philosophical Society of that town, 

 stating the peculiarities he had noticed in these birds, as well 

 in outward form, as in internal structure, and also his opi- 

 nion that the differences exhibited were of sufficient import- 

 ance to entitle them to rank as a distinct species, both from 

 the preceding one and also from the tame Swan (Cygnus 

 Olor). These remarks induced other naturalists to investi- 

 gate the subject, and Mr YARRELL, whose knowledge as an 

 ornithologist, and whose discrimination as a comparative 

 anatomist, stand deservedly high, soon discovered additional 

 proofs of the correctness of Mr WINGATE'S views, and, at 

 his suggestion, the appellation of Cygnus Bewickii was con- 

 ferred upon the species. Since that period, several speci- 

 mens of the bird have been obtained, and its distinguishing 

 characters have been illustrated and fully described by Mr 



