American Wild Swan. 83 
Arr. I1V.—Description of the American Wild Swan, proving it to 
be a new species. 
CYGNUS AMERICANUS. 
By Joun T. Suarpuess, M. D. of Philadelphia. 
Read before the Acad. Nat. Scien. of Philad. Feb. 7th, 1832. 
Anas cygnus ferus, Linn.—Cyenus ferus, Briss.—Le cygne 
sauvage, Burr.—Elk or Hooper Swan, Rayv— Whistling Swan, 
Laru., Pennant—Cvyenvs musicus, Becust, Bonararre—Swan, 
Wixson’s list—Wapa Seu, Inpians Hun. Bay. 
In the 8th No. Vol. Ist. of the Cabinet of Nat. History, by the 
Messrs. Doughty, published 1831 in this city, in describing the his- 
tory and habits of the American Swan, I intimated my belief, that this 
bird was a distinct species from either of the European (HooPer or 
Bewicx, Yarrell) Wild Swans. This opinion I have since confirm- 
ed, having during the past season had an opportunity of closely ex- 
amining a number of recent specimens, of six of which the bones 
and other parts necessary to found the specific characters, are 
now in my possession. ‘These added to six I had before, include 
with one exception, every preparation of the internal structure now 
in this city. Finding in every case, the same marked difference from 
every description of all other swans, I have considered it would be a 
sufficient warrant to separate this bird from those already indicated, 
and give it the title of Americanus. 
Every writer on this bird, has heretofore considered the American 
swan, as identical with the European, and even Mr. Charles L. Bo- 
naparte, a naturalist certainly of a very eminent order, in his synop- 
sis of the birds of the United States, gives it as the Anas cygnus, Linn., 
Lartu., etc. and the Cyanus musicus, Becust. His generic descrip- 
tion need not be repeated, and his specific characters are so general, 
that they would include our own as well as the two European wild 
swans which are now acknowledged to be distinct. I will here give 
it. C. musicus, Becust. White,—top of the head yellowish—hill 
black without protuberance—bare space round the eye, yellow. 
Neither Wilson nor any other American naturalist has particularly 
described our swan, the reason of which I am ignorant. I will now 
refer to the Essay of Mr. Wm. Yarrell,* Linn. Trans. Lond. Vol. xvi. 
* This gentleman has been long known to the scientific world, for his curious and 
interesting observations on the organs of voice in birds, and other branches of Nat- 
ural Science. 
