18 atstatidtE. 



Its jjlumage was pure white everywhere except on the top of tlie head, where some 

 faintly rust-coloured tips to the feathers appeared. Its total length (stuffed, and 

 hence uncertain) was 3 feet 11^ inches ; wing from carpus 20 inches ; bill above, 

 from point to forehead, 3f inches ; bill to eye 4^ inches ; yellow colour on bill ex- 

 tends fi-om the forehead to \vithin half an inch of nostrils ; tarsus 4i inches ; middle 

 toe and nail 4f inches. 



A^Hien in Shanes Castle demesne with my ornithological friends, 

 Wm. and Richard K. Sinclaire, Esqrs., on the 10th of February, 

 1837, three of these swans appeared on Lough Neagh, not very 

 far from the shore, where they kept swimming so long as we 

 could give attention to them; — for half an hour. Their size, 

 carriage, &c., satisfied us that they were C. Beivichi, as in these 

 respects they exactly corresponded with the two individuals in my 

 friends' aquatic menagerie at the Falls : the yellow marking of 

 their bills was quite apparent when they were viewed with the aid 

 of a pocket telescope. They did not seem intent on any object, 

 but kept moving over the water very leisurely, never stooping 

 their necks for food ; yet the large space traversed by them in this 

 listless manner surprised me. They appeared of a pure white 

 colour, from which circumstance, they, as wild creatures, looked 

 strange and beautiful as the sun shone brightly on them. 



On the 19th of January, 1839, I purchased a swan of this 

 species, which was shot on that morning by a person awaiting the 

 fl}dng of wigeon, about daybreak, near Comber, and a mile dis- 

 tant from Strangford Lough. It was accompanied by two others ; 

 the shooter described the three as coming "whistHng" over him. 



Its total length was 3 feet 9i inches ; bill, from forehead to point, 3 inches 6 

 lines, and from ricius to point 3 inches 4 lines; wing, from carpus to end of longest 

 quill 19 inches 9 lines (2nd quiU longest, 3rd longer than 1st, which exceeds the 4th 

 in length) ; tnrsus 3 inches 9 lines ; middle toe and nail 5 inches. The forehead is 

 rust-coloured ; the cheek slightly so ; the under surface faintly tinged with the same 

 hue, so as to appear like soiled white; 19 tail-feathers. Weight 11 lbs. It was 

 ascertained to be a male on dissection ; the stomach, in addition to sand and minute 

 pebbles, contained a number of seeds. 



Early in February 1839, a Bewick's swan was shot near Cole- 

 raiue, and came under my inspection at a bii'd-preserver's in 

 BeKast. It was in full white plumage, and the first adult one 

 killed in Ireland, that I had seen. This bird was very large ; 

 the wing, from carpus to end of longest quill, was 22^ inches ; 



