THE MUTE OR TAME SWAN. 
93 
This species is chiefly known as an ornament on 
our rivers or artificial waters, and at a very early 
period of our history so much importance was 
attached to having these birds, that laws were en- 
acted, and it required a certain qualification and 
sometimes royal consent for persons to keep them 
on their domain, and hence different marks were 
adopted by which the owners or companies could 
distinguish their own birds. Mr. Yarrell, in his 
history of this bird, has given a very interesting ab- 
stract of the ancient laws and usages regarding this 
subject, to which w r e shall refer our readers.* The 
marks were generally made upon the bill in the 
maimer represented on the accompanying cut, which 
we have taken the liberty to borrow from one of the 
many which the above mentioned intelligent author 
has given. 
The upper figure is the Royal Swan-mark of our 
most gracious Queen, Victoria, who at the last swan- 
* Yarrell, Brit. Birds, vol. iii. p. 124. 
