Bewick's swan. 13 



in England." This might, however, naturally be expected, from 

 the comparative scarcity of lakes throughout the latter country. 



Many of the other islands of Strangford Lough were, in Harris's 

 work, called after their productions, as certain birds, fishes, 

 plants, &c., nearly all of wliich are at present to be found upon 

 them at some season of the year. A Goose island, indeed, ap- 

 pears, but, like those deriving their name fi'om the Swan, it has 

 vanished from the later maps. Doubtless the island was named 

 from the circumstance either of the bird breeding there or fre- 

 quenting it ; but, as in the other case, when the bird ceased to do 

 so, the locality lost its distinctive appellation. In winter, wild 

 swans (as already mentioned) and wild geese still occasionally 

 visit Strangford Lough. There is a Swan island also in Larne 

 Lough, county Antrim. 



BEWICK'S SWAN. 



* Cygmis Bewickii, Yarr. 



„ Islandicus, Brelim. 



Is probably a regular winter visitant ; 



But cannot at present be announced with certainty as more than 

 an occasional one, to the coast and inland waters. 



I published the following matter on this species, to the note 

 of March the 17th, 1836, inclusive, in the first volume of the 

 'Magazine of Zoology and Botany,' previous to which time I 

 had recorded its occurrence in Ireland : — 



" In the winter of 1829-30, a specimen of Bewick's swan, shot 

 on Lough Neagh, was brought to Belfast market. It was pur- 

 chased for the Natural History Society of that town, and set up 

 for their museum — the sternum, trachea, &c. being carefully pre- 

 served. In February 1830, a flock containing seven of these 

 swans alighted in a flooded meadow near Belfast, where tliey were 

 shot at, and two of them so disabled by the one discharge, as to 

 be, after some difficulty, secured. They were purchased by my 

 friend Wm. Sinclaire, Esq. ; and on their wounds being found so 



