BEWICK’S SWAN. 
CYGNUS liEJFICKI. 
In his very interesting work ‘ A History of British Birds, &c.,’ Seehohm gives (vol. iii. p. 484) the following 
lines referring to the discovery of this Swan ; — “ Bewick’s Swan was discovered hy Pallas nearly a century ago, 
hut was regarded by the great Siberian traveller as only a small race of the Hooper. Naumann claims to 
have rediscovered it early in 1823 in Germany ; Yarrell a year later in the south of England ; and Hancock 
in January 1829 in the north of England.” 
The folloAving extracts from my notes for 1871 refer to the shooting on Hickling Broad, in the east of 
Norfolk, of one of the few specimens of this species that I have succeeded in obtaining : — 
“ March 2. Over Heigham Sounds and the whole of the Broad early in the morning, and again towards 
evening. While in the centre of Hickling Broad, just after sunset, a wild Swan alighted on the water about 
one hundred yards from the punt, but would not allow our craft within range of the shoulder-gun, and the punt- 
gun was not on board. After three attempts, I refrained from disturbing the bird, trusting to fall in with it 
the following morning when better prepared. 
“ March 3. Down at the water at daybreak with the punt-gun, and met Nudd, the Hickling keeper, on the 
Sounds, out with his punt and gun. He stated tliat he had heard a Swan that morning and also the night 
before, but, owing to the thick fog hanging over the water, he had been unable to discover the bird. On reaching 
Hickling Broad, I made out a flock of fowl, which the natives had declared to be Tufted Ducks, on the deep water 
near the channel ; but directly an attempt was made to scull towards them they rose, and after circling round 
pitched in the Smee corner. I then had the punt worked through the reed-bush ; but immediately the open 
water was reached, at the distance of about one hundred yards, they rose on wing, when I ascertained the Tufted 
Ducks were Goldeneyes. I had noticed a Swan feeding with about fifty Coots while sculling to the divers, but, 
imagining it to be a tame bird, had not attempted to make an examination through the glasses. When the 
Goldeneyes rose, I jumped up to obtain a better view, and this movement started the Coots, and the Swan 
also getting on wing, I discovered my old acquaintance of the previous evening. TTie bird passed at about ninety 
yards, when I dropped down to the big gun and fired a charge of No. 1 shot; although evidently struck hard, 
the small stranger kept on across the open water, then on reaching the dyke towards the Sounds, turned and 
settled near the centre of the broad, with about a dozen tame Swans. After loading, wo pulled well to windward 
and then sculled towards it in hopes of a shot. The bird, however, was exceedingly wary, and continued 
swimming before the wind till nearly on shore, when it rose again and flew across Rush Hill till almost out of 
sight, when it came round again and alighted in the open water about three hundred yards to windward of 
where our punt was stationed. As we happened to be in close proximity to the patch of rushes off Pleasure 
Hills, the punt was pushed among the reeds, and the man in charge of our second punt was sent off with orders 
to make an attempt to drive the bird in our direction. J ust as he got round, the keeper, returning from the 
Sounds, came up in his punt, and the two boats had no trouble in forcing the bird towards where we were 
