18 
ANATIDiE. 
Its plumage was pure white everywhere except on the top of the head, where some 
faintly rust-colonred tips to the feathers appeared. Its total length (stuffed, and 
hence uncertain) was 3 feet 11^ inches; wing from carpus 20 inches; bill above, 
from point to forehead, 3f- inches ; bill to eye 4A inches ; yellow colour on bill ex- 
tends from the forehead to within half an inch of nostrils ; tarsus 4A inches ; middle 
toe and nail 4f inches. 
When in Shanes Castle demesne with my ornithological friends, 
Wm. and Richard K. Sinclaire, Esqrs., on the 10th of February, 
1887, three of these swans appeared on Lough Neagh, not very 
far from the shore, where they kept swimming so long as we 
could give attention to them; — for half an hour. Their size, 
carriage, &c., satisfied us that they were C. BewicJcii, as in these 
respects they exactly corresponded with the two individuals in my 
friends' aquatic menagerie at the Falls : the yellow marking of 
their bills was quite apparent when they were viewed with the aid 
of a pocket telescope. They did not seem intent on any object, 
but kept moving over the water very leisurely, never stooping 
their necks for food ; yet the large space traversed by them in this 
listless manner surprised me. They appeared of a pure white 
colour, from which circumstance, they, as wild creatures, looked 
strange and beautiful as the sun shone brightly on them. 
On the 19th of January, 1839, I purchased a swan of this 
species, which was shot on that morning by a person awaiting the 
flying of wigeon, about daybreak, near Comber, and a mile dis- 
tant from Strangford Lough. It was accompanied by two others ; 
the shooter described the three as coming “ whistling" over him. 
Its total length was 3 feet 9y inches ; bill, from forehead to point, 3 inches 6 
lines, and from rictus to point 3 inches 4 lines ; wing, from carpus to end of longest 
quill 19 inches 9 lines (2nd quill longest, 3rd longer than 1st, which exceeds the 4th 
in length) ; tarsus 3 inches 9 lines ; middle toe and nail 5 inches. The forehead is 
rust-coloured ; the cheek slightly so ; the under surface faintly tinged with the same 
hue, so as to appear like soiled white; 19 tail-feathers. Weight 11 lbs. It was 
ascertained to be a male on dissection ; the stomach, in addition to sand and minute 
pebbles, contained a number of seeds. 
Early in February 1839, a Bewick's swan was shot near Cole- 
raine, and came under my inspection, at a bird-preserver's in 
Belfast. It was in full white plumage, and the first adult one 
killed in Ireland, that I had seen. This bird was very large ; 
the wing, from carpus to end of longest quill, was inches ; 
