162 BIRDS OF GUERNSEY. 



Swan, which no doubt has occasionally occurred, 

 perhaps more frequently than is supposed, though 

 not so frequently as the Hooper. Probably the 

 difference between the two is not sufficiently known ; 

 it may, therefore, be as well to point out the dis- 

 tinctions. Bewick's Swan is much smaller than 

 the Hooper, but the great outward distinction is, 

 that in the Hooper the yellow at the base of the 

 bill extends to and includes the nostrils, whereas in 

 Bewick's Swan the yellow occupies a very small 

 portion of the base of the bill, not extending so far 

 as the nostrils : this is always sufficient to distin- 

 guish the two, and is almost the only exterior 

 distinction, but on dissection the anatomical struc- 

 ture, especially of the trachea, shows material 

 difference between the two. 



Professor Ansted includes Bewick's Swan in 

 his list, and marks it as occurring in Guernsey. 

 There is, however, no specimen at present in the 

 Museum. 



140. WILD DUCK. Anas boschas, Linnaeus. 

 French, " Canard sauvage." The Wild Duck is 

 an occasional autumn and winter visitant. I have 

 never shot one myself in the Islands, but I have 

 several times seen Gnernsey-killed ones in the 

 market. Though a visitant to all the Islands, I 

 do not believe the Wild Duck breeds, at all events 

 at present, in any of them ; Mr. MacCulloch, how- 



