Bewick's swan. 15 



and Mr. Selby have assumed that the ferruginous markings on 

 the head are permanent, as they thus describe them in the dia- 

 gnostic characters of tlie bird :— ' fronte genisque ferrugineo macu- 

 latis.' In one of the living individuals there is not even, up to 

 .the present time, the slightest appearance of a tubercle or knob 

 at the base of the upper mandible. This swan seems to be a 

 female ; her neck, whether on land or water, is always borne in 

 such a manner as to appear much shorter than that of her 

 companion ; the yellow of her bill is of a pale lemon-colour, 

 whilst that of the other bird is orange : there are also such other 

 differences observable as indicate the sexes of swans and geese in 

 a living state.^ In conclusion, I shall only remark that these 

 swans were similar in length and breadth, each being 3 feet 

 10 inches from the point of the beak to the extremity of the tail, 

 and 6 feet 4 inches 'across the wings : that the tubercle on the 

 bill of the assumed male has not, during four years, increased in 

 size ; and that the ridge of the upper mandible in the assumed 

 female is black from base to point, a small patch of pale yellow, 

 irregular in outline, appearing on the sides only of that mandible 

 about 3 lines from the base ; the yellow colour is indeed differently 

 disposed on the bills of all the four specimens. 



"Every spring and autumn since Mr. Sinclaire had these swans, 

 they have regularly, about the months of March and September, 

 become very restless, and for the period of at least three weeks 

 liave wandered from the enclosure, within which they are con- 

 tented to remain all the rest of the year. It was noted, on April 

 the 8th, 1833, that they have been at their migratory turns for 

 some weeks. They walk from the pond in a north-east direction, 

 until stopped by a hedge about 250 yards distant, then wheel 

 about and fly as well as they are able, with pinioned wings, back 

 to the water. Tliey continue this practice during the day, and at 

 night they and the bernacle are heard flapping along the pond. 

 In disposition they are timid and extremely gentle, and never 



* Notwitlistaiuliug appearances, this male-like bird, which was killed by a dog- 

 about the 1st October, 1837, proved on dissection to be u female. The other bird 

 met with its death from the same cause two years afterwards. It did not come under 

 my examination. 



