DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS. 239 



BEWICK'S SWAN. 



Long confused with the preceding Swan, the 

 distinctness of the present species was recognised by 

 Yarrell, who named it Cygnus bewicki, in honour of 

 Thomas Bewick, naturalist and engraver on wood, 

 known to most readers as the author of the 

 British Birds and British Quadrupeds. Bewick's 

 Swan is only a winter visitor to the coasts and 

 inland waters of the British Islands, spending the 

 summer far away in the Arctic regions of Europe 

 and Asia. The habits of this Swan are very 

 similar to those of the preceding species. The bird 

 may be distinguished from the Hooper by its 

 much smaller size, and by the yellow patch at the 

 base of the bill being much less in extent, never 

 extending below the nostrils. Bewick's Swan is 

 perhaps not quite so maritime as the Hooper, pre- 

 ferring the large inland sheets of water, and more 

 or less sheltered lochs and fjords, to the open sea. 

 It is seen in greatest numbers in Ireland and 

 Scotland, and during severe winters visits us in 

 greatest numbers. At these times some of the 

 flocks are remarkably large, numbering hundreds or 

 even thousands of individuals. Its food is not 

 known to differ from that of the preceding species ; 

 its flight is equally rapid ; and its note, short and 

 musical, has been syllabled as tong. Imposing as 

 these birds are, and by no means rare, they can 

 scarcely be classed as very prominent features of 



