222 ANATID^E. 



own swanherds and assistants, on the first Monday of 

 August in every year, from Lambeth, on their Swan 

 voyage, for the purpose of catching and marking all the 

 cygnets of the year, and renewing any marks in old birds 

 that may by time have become partially obliterated. Mr. 

 Kempe says, " the struggles of the Swans when caught 

 by their pursuers, and the duckings which the latter re- 

 ceived in the contest, made this a diversion with our an- 

 cestors of no ordinary interest." 



The forming circles or annulets on the beak, as observed 

 in these two ancient marks, being considered as inflicting 

 more severe pain upon the bird than straight lines, these 

 rings are now omitted, and the lines doubled, as shown 

 in the marks numbered 14 and 15, which are those of the 

 Dyers 1 and Vintners' Companies as used at this time. Nos. 

 12 and 14 being the ancient and modern mark of the 

 Dyers 1 Company: Nos. 13 and 15, the ancient and mo- 

 dern mark of the Vintners 1 Company. 



The two nicks in the swan mark of the Vintners 1 Com- 

 pany, which have so often been the subject of notice, are 

 probably intended for two half lozenges, or a demi-lo- 

 zenge, on each side ; the V is perhaps a chevron re- 

 versed ; the arms of the company bemg Sable, a chevron 

 between three tons, argent. I think it probable that the 

 V is only the chevron reversed, for the true chevron could 

 scarcely be cut on the beak of the bird without each la- 

 teral branch crossing its elongated and tender nostril, and 

 this, from a feeling of humanity, the marker would also 

 be disposed to avoid. The chevron reversed, for many of 

 these swan-marks are evidently heraldic, had the additional 

 adaptation of representing the initial letter of the word 

 Vintner, and forming, also, the Roman numeral five, is 

 further borne in mind, and perhaps intended to be referred 



