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l^he Swan. 



Numb. XCI. 



nPHIS Bird is the biggefl of all the whole-footed Water-fowl with 

 "*- broad Bills, it weighed twenty pounds ; from the tip of the Bill to 

 the end of the Tail were fifty five Inches, to the end of the Feet 

 fifty feven; the diftance between the tips of the Wings extended, was 

 feven foot and eight Inches. 



The whole Body is covered with a foft and delicate Plumage, in the 

 old ones purely white, in the young ones grey ; the Quill of the greater 

 Wing Feathers of this Bird are greater than in the Wild Swan, the Bill 

 in the young ones of the firft Year is of a led Colour, having a round 

 Nail as it were at the tip, and a black Line on each fide, from the Nof- 

 trils to the Head; from the Eyes to the Bill is a triangular Space, bare 

 of Feathers, of a black Colour, the Bafe whereof refpeds the Bill, the 

 Vertex the Eyes. In old ones the Bill is red, the Hook or Nail at the 

 end being black: at the Bafe of the Bill grows a great Lobe of tuberous 

 Flefh of a black Colour, bending forward or downward; this is much 

 larger in the Male than in the Female; the fpace under the Eyes always 

 continues black: The Tongue is indented or toothed; the Legs and 

 Feet black, bare a little above Knee, The inmoft Toe hath a lateral 

 Membrane appendant: The Claws are black. 



It is a very long-liv'd Fowl, fo that it is thought to attain the Age of 

 three hundred Years; they feed on Fifh, Herbs growing in the Water, 

 their Roots and Seeds, Worms, Infeds, and Shell-Fifh. Albertus writes 

 truly, that its Flefh is black and hard. As the Bird itfelf is far bigger 

 thanaGoofe, fo its Flefh is blacker, harder, and tougher, having groffer 

 Fibres hard of Digeftion, of a bad melancholic Juice ; yet for its Rarity 

 ferves as a Difh to adorn great Mens Tables at Feafts and Entertainments, 

 being elfe no defirable Dainty. It lays feven or eight Eggs, and fits 

 near two Months before its young ones are hatcht. 



N 2 The 



