364 
THE SWAN. 
come the legs of the bird hanging out, and as it groweth 
greater, it openeth the shell hy degrees, till at length it is 
all come forth, and hangeth only hy the bill; in short space 
after, it cometh to full maturitie, and falleth into the sea, 
where it gathereth feathers, and groweth to a fowl bigger than 
a Mallard, and lesser than a Goose, which the people in Lan- 
cashire call hy no other name than a Tree- Goose ; which place 
aforesaid, and all those parts adjoining, do so much abound 
therewith, that one of the best is bought for threepence. 
So fully convinced was the sage Gerard of the “ truth hereof,” 
that he closes his account with an invitation to all who doubted 
the fact to apply to him. “ If any doubt, may it please them 
to repair unto me, and I shall satisfie them hy the testi- 
monie of good witnesses.” These shells are represented in 
the preceding figure. 
Of Swans, we have three sorts: one, our well-known tame 
The Swan. 
species : the two others wild, called Hooper, Whooper, or 
Whistling Swans, from their loud, hoarse, and shrill cry, 
* Herbal , p. 1587. 
