bewick's swan. 
17 
“March 17, 1836. I examined a Cygnus BewicJcii which was 
shot at Lough Beg, adjoining Lough Neagh, on the 12th instant. 
Its length is 3 feet 9 in. ; tail-feathers 20 knob on bill very 
small ; feathers on forehead deep rust-colour ; on sides of head 
tinged with pale rust-colour at their extremities ; tips of feathers 
on breast and entire under surface of belly of a rust colour, so 
extremely pale as to have the appearance merely of being soiled ; 
bill on the ridge, as far as nostrils, pale orange : this colour advanc- 
ing a little farther on the sides, thence to tip black. On dissec- 
tion it was found to be a female. Its stomach was filled with minute 
seeds and gravel. As I have heard of flocks of wild swans being 
frequently seen on Lough Neagh during the last two months, there 
is little doubt that they have been there since first observed in 
J anuary, and that they will most probably remain until the period 
of their vernal migration. The five remaining birds of the flock, 
out of which Mr. Sinclaire's specimens were obtained in 1830, 
went off in the direction of Lough Neagh ; and a similar number, 
presumed to be the same individuals, were a few days afterwards 
seen in the flooded meadows, where they had been fired at. This 
is mentioned as indicative of their continuance in the same part 
of the country. 
“ Although the Cygnus BewicJcii is considered to visit England 
less commonly than the Cygnus ferns , it is certainly of more fre- 
quent occurrence in Ireland." 
The following matter has not hitherto been published : — In 
the spring of 1836, 1 saw two of these swans at Mr. W. S. Wall's 
(bird-preserver), Dublin, both of which were shot in the King's 
county. He received them in a fresh state on the 11th February, 
and 3rd March, of that year. 
About the month of January 1837, one was purchased in Dub- 
lin market.! In the middle of that month, a specimen, sent 
from Coleraine to Belfast to be preserved, came under my notice. 
* Since attention was called in this paper to the difference in the number of tail- 
feathers, it has been admitted by ornithologists that the number at first assigned 
to the C. BewicJcii is not of specific value. 
f Mr. H. H. Dombrain. 
VOL. Ill, 
C 
