BewWilcks SWAN. 
eo—-——-—= 
Cygnus bewicki, Yarrell. 
0 
Vernacular Names.—[None. } 
0 
=, ae Li 
‘HE only instance of the occurrence of this species 
within our limits, of which we have any record, is 
the one noted by Mr. Hodgson, by one of whose 
people a Swan was shot in January 1829, in the 
valley of Népal. The skin was destroyed by insects, 
but a large and careful drawing of the fresh bird 
alia was made by one of Mr. Hodgson’s trained orni- 
thological artists; and, although others have supposed this 
drawing to represent the Hooper, I myself cannot doubt that it 
represents a nearly adult bird of the present species. Unfortu- 
nately, Mr. Hodgson recorded none of his customary notes as 
to dimensions, anatomy, &c., which would have set all doubts 
on the subject (if any such caz exist,) finally at rest. 
In regard to this Swan Mr. Hodgson noted on a copy of his 
Catalogue which he sent me :— 
“ The valley of Nepal is sub-tropical, and of course, no habitat 
for the Swan. The specimen I got was obtained in a winter 
of very unusual severity. The bird must be a purely accidental 
straggler, as I could not learn that any like it had ever before 
been seen in Nepal.” 
In reply to queries of mine on the subject, Dr. Scully says :— 
“T have made enquiries from a number of Nepalese, and I can- 
not find any one now remaining who ever remembers to have 
seen a wild Swan in the valley.” 
In “Asiatic Researches,’ XVIII, pt. II., 125, Hodgson gives 
Cygnus as one of the Watatores which usually pass over the 
valley, seldom alighting, and then only for a few hours. 
At page 127 he adds :—“India, I fancy, is too hot for the 
taste of the Vasfatores, a great majority of which seem to affect 
Arctic regions, or at least high latitudes. I throw out the remark 
for canvas and enquiry, and for fear I should deceive any one 
by the display of the genus Cygnus at the head of my list, I 
must add that the wild Swan was never seen here (valley of 
