187 



TAME SWAN.* 



Jan. 2nd, 1826. MY brother this morning see- 

 ing a tame swan, which frequents the piece of water 

 in the park at Bottisham, with something singular in 

 its mouth, approached it nearer in order to observe 

 what it was, when, to his surprise, he found it to be 

 a small roach, which the swan was dashing against 

 the surface of the water, and tearing in pieces with 

 its bill. On being disturbed, the swan let it drop, 

 and left it. Whether this fish had been caught by 

 the swan in the first instance, or found dead and 

 floating upon the water, it would be interesting to 

 know. It was, however, evidently proceeding to 

 make a meal of it ; and this is the first instance that 

 ever came to my knowledge of swans preying upon 

 fish at all. 



DOMESTIC DUCK.f 



Nov. 1829. I WAS lately shown at Cambridge 

 three varieties, or rather monstrosities, of the com- 

 mon duck, which had been bred in the neighbour- 

 hood in the spring of the present year. These birds 

 deviated from the usual conformation of the duck 

 tribe in respect of their bill and feet. The former 

 had the lower mandible twice the length of the upper, 

 which last was deformed, and somewhat like that of 

 the common fowl : the tongue was long, and hanging 



* Cygnus olor, Steph. 



t Anas boschas, Linn.; var. domesticus. 



