THE BLACK-NECKED SWAN. 
Cygniis nigricollis. 
Plate XLYIII. 
This species of Swan, which has now bred several times in the Society’s Gardens, is certainly the most 
brilliant addition to our Water fowl which lias been etfected since attention first began to be paid to the 
important subject of acclimatization. Equally beautiful on the water and in the air, the contrast of colour 
is so remarkable, that although the smallest of the genus, with the exception of the Cygnus coscoroba, likewise 
an inhabitant of the coasts of South America, the Black-necked S wan produces a much more striking effect 
than any of its congeners. 
The geographical range of this bird extends from Chili across the mainland of South America to the 
Falkland Islands; and probably to a considerable distance northward of these Islands on the eastern coast of 
the continent. 
The first importation of the Black-necked Swan was etfected by the exertions of Admiral Hornby. 
When this officer was in command on the Pacific Station, he succeeded in sending home at different periods 
to the late Earl of Derby, eight individuals of this species, of which six were living at the dispersion of 
the Knowsley collection in 1851. The present Earl of Derby presented a pair of these birds to Her 
Majesty the Queen, and the two remaining pairs passed into the possession of the Zoological Society. 
They, however, for several seasons, made no attempt at reproduction, and one of them having died, the 
apparent chance of continuing the species depended on one pair. Fortunately, in the year 1857, these 
not only made a nest, as had been done in 1856, but hatched out four young birds, which rapidly arrived 
at full size and colour, and at the end of the autumn could scarcely be distinguished from their parents. 
The same success occurred in 1858, with the fortunate and singular result, that the four birds of 1857 
were all males, and the birds of 1858 females. 
Captain the Hon. C. E. Harris, while Consul-General in Chili, took great pains to assist the Society’s 
views in obtaining additional specimens of this desirable bird, whose proved power of accommodating itself 
to the climate of England, now makes it doubly valuable. Captain Harris succeeded in sending safely home 
one pair of Black-necked Swans, under the care of Captain Carmichael, of the mercantile marine, to whose 
skill on the voyage much praise is due; but accident deprived the Society of any practical advantage from 
this pair of birds, the male having died, after living about twelve months in the Gardens. 
Two pairs of the Black-necked Swan, bred in the Society’s Gardens, are at present in the possession of the 
Societe Imperiale d’Acclimatation of France; a third pair was parted with to Samuel Gurney, Esq., M.P., and 
a fourth pair, bred in 1859, by the same parents, to the Viscount Powerscourt. With the exception of the two 
pairs retained by the Society, these are believed to be the only individuals of the species now living in Europe. 
