338 THE BIRDS OF SUSSEX. 



MUTE SWAN. 



Cygnus olor. 



Although the Mute Swan can scarcely be called a truly 

 British bird, yet it has so long been generally diflused 

 throughout the country that it can hardly be right to 

 omit all mention of it, especially as it has been admitted 

 by all writers on British Ornithology. It appears to have 

 been first iatroduced into Britain from Cyprus, by Richard I., 

 who began his reign in 1189, and, since that period, has 

 gradually spread over Europe, and as it breeds in a wild 

 state in Denmark and South Sweden, there is nothing very 

 remarkable in the supposition that it may occasionally 

 visit England at the time of migration. " When first intro- 

 duced, Swans were held to be royal property, no subject 

 being allowed to possess any private rights in them, when 

 at large on any creek or river, except by graat from the 

 Crown of a private mark, which, in the time of Edward IV. 

 (1483), was, except the King^s sons, only to be granted to 

 persons possessed of a freehold of the yearly value of five 

 marks, and in some cases the Crown allowed the seizure of 

 all White Swans, in certain districts, not having the mark. 

 About the year 1600, a payment of 6«. %d. was levied on the 

 Bishops of Chichester, then residing at Amberley Castle, 

 on the Arun, on their first coming to the Bishoprick, 

 with regard to their Swans on that river. These Bishop's 

 birds were 'butted on the lefte winge, and had three 

 notches on the right side of the beake.' The Swans of the 

 Earls of Arandell are butted on the right wing, and their 

 heels both cut oflf. Sir William Goring had a variety of 

 marks. One of the marks of Walter Barttelott, Esq., was. 



