﻿BLACK SWAN. 67 



NATATORES. ANAT1DM. 



PLATE CCXLII 



BLACK SWAN. 



CYGNUS ATRATUS. 



We are induced to figure the present species, in conse- 

 quence of a specimen of this bird having been brought to us 

 very recently, that was killed very near to our residence. 

 We do not presume to say that the bird was perfectly wild, 

 but the circumstances attending its capture were rather pecu- 

 liar, and may possibly lead to the consideration, whether this 

 species has extended itself over countries from whence it might 

 have come to our shores ; as it is very improbable that it 

 should, under any circumstances, have travelled of its own 

 accord so great a distance as from New South Wales, which 

 is usually considered as its native place, according to all ac- 

 counts given of the subject. The particulars of its capture 

 are as follow : — 



On the fourteenth of November last, a person of the 

 name of Taylor shot a Black Swan on the Thames near 

 Chertsey, under the following circumstances. On the Sunday 

 morning previous, a gentleman stood talking with Mr. Phil- 

 lips, a person who attends upon Chertsey Lock, when ten 

 Black Swans came flying across the Thames, quite near 

 enough to be recognised as such by both parties ; a little 



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