364 



THE SWAN. 



come the legs of the bird hanging out, and as it groweth 

 greater, it openeth the shell by degrees, till at length it is 

 all come forth, and hangeth only by the bill; in short space 

 after, it cometh to full maturitie, and falleth into the sea, 

 where it gathereth feathers, and groweth to a fowl bigger than 

 a Mallard, and lesser than a Goose, which the people in Lan- 

 cashire call by no other name than a Tree-Goose ; which place 

 aforesaid, and all those parts adjoining, do so much abound 

 therewith, that one of the best is bought for threepence."* 

 So fully convinced was the sage Gerard of the " truth hereof," 

 that he closes his account with an invitation to all who doubted 

 the fact to apply to him. " If any doubt, may it please them 

 to repair unto me, and I shall satisfie them by the. testi- 

 monie of good witnesses." These shells are represented in 

 the preceding figure. 



Of Swans, we have three sorts : one, our well-known tame 



The Swan 



species : the two others wild, called Hooper, Whooper, or 

 Whistling Swans, from their loud, hoarse, and shrill cry, 



* Herbal, p. 1587. 



