572 
The Illustrated Book of Poultry . 
is very soft and low, with a somewhat pleasing, melancholy tone about it ; but it is not mute, as 
the name would imply. The cygnets when hatched, and for a good while after, are grey, and may 
often be seen on the back of one of the parents when swimming in the water. The flesh is 
excellent when moderately young, and was formerly highly esteemed. 
There is another large white swan closely resembling Cygnus olor, imported from the Baltic, 
under the name of the Polish Swan. Mr. Yarrell, however, considers it distinct, the cranium being 
different, and the young never hatching grey, like cygnets of the Mute Swan, but being white from 
the very shell. From this last characteristic he has given it the name of Cygnus immutabilis. 
THE WHISTLING SWAN is called by naturalists Cygnus musicus ; and certainly the name 
of Musical Swan would be far more appropriate. The bill wants the protuberance of the preceding 
species, and is yellow ; it is also somewhat smaller, and the neck is considerably shorter and thicker 
in comparison than that of the Mute Swan. It is only a winter visitor to England in the wild state, 
but has several times been kept in confinement ; and its beautiful voice is alone enough to make its 
thorough domestication worth a little trouble. This feature has been described by many naturalists 
and other observers. Olaf says, “ When a company of these birds passes through the air, their song 
is truly delightful, equal to the notes of a violin.” Faber says, “ Their tuneful, melancholy voices 
sound like trumpets heard at a distance.” Another authority tells us that “ the voice of a Singing 
Swan has a more silvery tone than that of any other creature.” The notes of this swan, it is 
true, are given forth at all times ; but it is not unlikely that when wounded or in distress they might 
be even louder and more prolonged than usual, and thus give rise to the beautiful legend of the 
sweet song of the dying bird. 
BEWICK’S SWAN is a still smaller white bird. The neck is very slender, but not long. It 
is said to be shy and timid in captivity, and we believe has never bred in such circumstances ; it is, 
indeed, very difficult to obtain any of the rarer swans in pairs, the specimens captured being 
generally odd birds which have been wounded. 
THE BLACK SWAN is the best known next to the Mute Swan, having been imported 
frbrn Australia many years back. The eyes are scarlet, the legs black, the bill red tipped with 
white ; the plumage a rather sooty black, shading on the edges of many feathers into a very dark 
grey. In the long and slender neck, and general outline, it resembles the Mute Swan, but it is not 
quite so large. The Black Swan breeds freely — quite as freely as the Mute Swan — and the young 
are hardy. These swans are now established favourites on our ornamental waters and in the 
Zoological Gardens. It is, however, necessary to remark that they are apt to be more overbearing 
and tyrannical, towards smaller water-fowl than the White Swans. 
THE BLACK-NECKED SWAN (Cygnus nigricollis), sometimes called the Chilian Swan, is 
a most beautiful bird, imported from South America. The eyes are brown, the bill lead-colour, 
with the protuberance (which is strongly marked in this species) red ; the legs reddish-orange. 
The plumage is pure white, except the head and neck, which are jet black, all but a narrow streak 
of white across the eye. In swimming the neck is held nearly straight, like that of a goose, not 
curved, as in most other swans. The young are said to grow with immense rapidity, which is 
worthy of note, with a view to domestication. The late Earl of Derby was the first to possess these 
beautiful birds, which for some time would not breed ; but for several years past broods have now 
been reared annually in the Zoological Gardens at Regent’s Park. 
