THE SWIMMERS. 123 



double the velocity." The Mute Swan was first brought to England from the island of Cyprus by 

 Richard I., and is still regarded as a royal bird which no subject can claim when kept in a public 

 river, except by permission of the crown. Formerly, when this permission was accorded, a Swan 

 mark was granted in order to identify the property of the persons so endowed. In the days of 

 Queen Elizabeth it was ordered that all Swans in the Thames and its tributaries should be " upped," 

 i.e., taken up and marked on the skin of the bill on an appointed day in the presence of the king's 

 Swanherd. This ceremony, known to us as " Swan hopping," was performed annually, until quite 

 recently, upon the first Monday in August. The flesh of this Swan was formerly highly esteemed, 

 and was served as one of the principal dishes on state occasions. The value of one of these birds 

 in the reign of Edward III. may be estimated by the fact, that while the best Capon sold for 

 sixpence, the best Hen for fourpence, and twelve eggs for one penny, the price of a Swan was fixed 

 at four shillings, and the poulterers were forbidden by proclamation to exact a larger sum. The late 

 Bishop of Norwich gave Mr. Yarrell the following account of the manner in which young Swans 

 were formerly fed at Norwich for the table : " The town clerk," he says, " sent a note to the public 

 Swanherd, and to the members of the Corporation there who had Swans and Swan rights. On the 

 second Monday in August the Swans were collected in a small stew or pond (the number varying 

 from fifty to seventy). They began to feed immediately, being provided with as much barley as they 

 could eat, and were usually ready for killing in November ; these were all Cygnets. If kept beyond 

 November they begin to fall off, losing both flesh and fat, the flesh also becomes darker in colour 

 and stronger in flavour. A printed copy of the following lines was usually sent with each bird : — 



f TO ROAST A SWAN. 



" Take three pounds of beef, beat fine in a mortar, 

 Put it into the Swan, that is when you've caught her ; 

 Some pepper, salt, mace, some nutmeg, an onion, 

 Will heighten the flavour in Gourmand's opinion. 

 Then tie it up tight with a small piece of tape, 

 That the gravy and other things may not escape ; 

 A meal paste, rather stiff, should be laid on the breast, 

 And some whited brown paper should cover the rest. 

 Fifteen minutes at least, ere the Swan you take down, 

 Pull the paste off the bird that the breast may get brown. 



" THE GRAVY. 



" To a gravy of beef, strong and good, I opine 



You'll be right if you add half a pint of port wine ; 

 Pour this through the Swan, yes, quite through the belly, 

 Then serve the whole up with some hot currant jelly. 

 N. B. — The Swan must not be skinned." 



THE WHISTLING SWAN. 



The Whistling Swan (Cygnus musicus) has a more compact body and shorter and thicker neck 

 than the Cygnus olor. The beak, which is without the cere, is raised at its yellow base, and tipped 

 with black. This species is sixty inches long, and from ninety to ninety-six broad, the wing measures 

 twenty-four, and the tail eight inches. 



The Whistling Swan is a native of the colder latitudes of both hemispheres, but has been known 

 to breed as far south as Greece. In England, where it is only a winter visitor, it is sometimes seen 

 in large flocks, should the season be severe, but very rarely occurs in mild winters. In the eastern 

 countries of Europe it is numerously met with. 



The winter peregrinations of this bird take it at certain seasons into Egypt and Northern Africa, 



