BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 255 
THE WHOOPER SWAN. Cygnusmusicus, Bechstein. 
A winter-visitant to the Solway. 
The Whooper, though seldom obtained, is frequently heard 
and seen in sufficiently hard winters, on the Solway ; but 
Bewick's Swan is believed to be the more regular visitant 
of the two. 
Judging by measurements and weights it would appear 
that the following records of wild swans, refer to the larger 
rather than to the smaller species ; and it is possible that in 
some cases the " wild swans " so recorded were only semi- 
domesticated Mute Swans driven by stress of weather to 
running water or to the sea-shore. The Whooper weighs 
from eighteen to twenty-two pounds and is about sixty 
inches in length, and though, therefore, considerably larger 
than Bewick's Swan, it is difficult to distinguish between 
the two when flying high overhead or at a distance except 
by their call. 
Swans are mentionedin 1792 as coming to Lochar Moss,* and 
it is recorded that " the tremendous snow storms of 1822 
brought whole flocks of wild swans to our shores."! " Eleven 
were seen on Thursday, February 6th, 1823, hovering about 
Lochar Moss, one of which was fired at and ultimately 
brought down. . . . This beautiful bird, which we have 
just seen, is now in the possession of Mr. Johnstone, Grapes 
Irni. ... It weighs exactly 19 lbs., and measures from 
tail to bill 4 feet 10 inches, and betwixt the extremities of 
the wings 7 feet 11 inches."} In subsequent winters, the 
appearance of swans is recorded in the local papers, and 
on November 22nd, 1830, a specimen, measuring ' four 
feet ten inches in length and weighing fifteen pounds 
* Stat. Acct. Scot., Vol. II., p. 2. 
t Dumfries Courier, February 21st, 1826. 
t Op. cii., February 11th, 1823. 
