374 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



fethers whiche standeth on the head of a byrde." In Norfolk 

 (where it is said the term "copple-crown" still has this meaning), 

 Sir Thomas Browne, in 1668, applied it to the Spoonbill, which 

 he characterised as " remarkable for its white colour, copped 

 crown, and spoon or spatule-like bill." (See * Zoologist,' 1877, 

 p. 42.5.) Thus we may take it that the word cob, a variant of cop 

 (still seen in " coping-stone "), was applied to the male swan by 

 reason of the prominent knob at the base of the bill, which is 

 more largely developed in the male than in the female. 



As to the name pen, it is doubtless a contracted form of 

 penne, not unfrequently used by the old writers for " feather." 

 In the * Vision of Piers Plowman ' reference is made (v. 7 923) to 

 the " pennes of the pecok " ; and in the ' Golden Legend ' we 

 read that " the foule that hath but fewe pennes or fethers may 

 not well flee." 



But seeing that swans of both sexes are feathered, like other 

 birds, it may be asked, why should the term pen be restricted to 

 the female bird ? Probably from her habit, when sailing with 

 her brood, of arching her wings proudly above her back, thus 

 conspicuously displaying her pennes. In some of the old writers 

 we find a special term — " busking " — to denote this peculiar 

 action; to busk, or bush out the wings, evidently from buske or 

 boske (O.F. bosc) as "bush" was anciently written, e.g., by Chaucer. 

 Spenser uses the word baskets, and Shakespeare, in * The Tempest ' 

 (act iv. sc. 1), has " my bosky acres and my unshrubb'd down." 

 A direct application of the term to the bird under notice may be 

 found in * A Tale of two Swannes,' printed in London by Koger 

 Ward, for John Sheldrake, in 1590. Thus :— 



" Not far from hence stands many a milke-white Swanne, 

 Attending for to entertaine their Prince ; 

 Among the which was one of chiefe accompt 

 That busked up her wings in greatest pride, 

 And so salutes this worthie companie." 



From the foregoing remarks it will be seen that there is some 

 corroboration of Yarrell's first statement, hitherto, as Professor 

 Newton says, " sought in vain " ; while in regard to his second, 

 " hardly intelligible," the explanation above given may perhaps 

 be more acceptable. 



