CHAPTER XII 



TAME CYGNETS 



WHEN swans were more highly thought of as pro- 

 perty than they are now, a swan-owner brought an 

 action against another swan-owner to assert his rights 

 to halve the cygnets of a brood. He proved by the 

 swan-marks that though one parent belonged to the 

 rival claimant, the other belonged to him, and sug- 

 gested a division. The case was taken before Lord 

 Chief Justice Coke, who based his decision on the high 

 moral and domestic character of swans, evidence of 

 which was adduced to his complete satisfaction. " The 

 swan," he said, " is the husband of one wife, and re- 

 mains so until death. Consequently, the children are 

 of undeniable parentage." As the two parents be- 

 longed in this case to different owners, he decided, 

 with a wisdom that Solomon could not have excelled, 

 that the offspring of swans sprung from these mixed 

 marriages should be divided, the odd cygnet, if there 

 was one, going to the owner of the hen swan. 



The reputation for conjugal constancy so set up, 

 and with some justice, for the swans does not, it is to 

 be feared, extend to them in their relation as parents, 

 which leaves very much to be desired. They show, 

 in fact, an odd mixture of instinctive sense and in- 



