432 



themselves at a later age." To these notes Mr. Southwell adds the following, viz.: — "March 

 12th, 1877. Mr. Gurney tells me the young Polish Swans are now pure white, with the exception 

 of the crown of their heads, and that from one of the two survivors even this small display of 

 colour has nearly disappeared." 



Mr. Stevenson has published a very interesting account of the Polish Swan, which is above 

 referred to by Mr. Southwell, and in which he cites the following occurrences in Norfolk, viz. : — 

 one between Upwell and Downham in the winter of 1839 ; three near Lynn in December 1851 ; 

 two, Horsey Mere, 2nd March 1855; one at Hickling in 1858; one, Homing, 20th January 

 1874 (?); and one on Hoveton Broad on the 14th November 1868. Some, at least, if not most of 

 these, however, were undoubtedly birds which had straggled from other waters, and not genuine 

 wild birds. 



The Polish Swan has occurred on other parts of our coasts, as for instance at the mouth of 

 the Thames, whence Yarrell obtained four ; and there is a specimen in the British Museum shot 

 at Nairn, N.B., on the 27th September 1872, by Viscount Holmesdale. Mr. Eobert Gray does 

 not know of any other occurrence in Scotland ; but Yarrell says that " during the severe weather 

 of January 1838 several flocks of these Polish Swans were seen pursuing a southern course along 

 the line of our north-east coast, from Scotland to the mouth of the Thames, and several specimens 

 were obtained." He further says that he has heard of one shot in Cambridgeshire, and of another 

 shot in the winter of 1840-41. Mr. Stevenson believes that the so-called Cambridgeshire bird 

 is in reality the one obtained in Norfolk in 1839. 



As above stated, I cannot find any reliable information respecting the occurrence of this 

 Swan on the Continent ; nor is any thing known respecting its nidification, except in a state of 

 semidomestication. 



Deeming it unnecessary to figure the entire bird, I have given, on the same Plate with the 

 heads of the other Swans, the heads of a young and an adult bird of this species. 



Besides the examples alive in the possession of Mr. J. H. Gurney, I have, in the preparation 

 of the above article, examined the following specimens : — 



E Mns. H. E. Dresser. 

 a,juv. Northrepps, Norfolk, August loth, 1879 (/. H. Gurney). 



E Mus. Brit. Reg. 

 a. Nairn, N.B. {Lord Holmesdale). 



E Mus. E. Bidwell. 

 a, pull. Northrepps. 



