Clafs II. 
149 
G E 
S P E 
Wild fwan, elk, or 
orn. 356. 
Rail Jyn. av. 136. 
Edw. av. 150. 
BIRDS. 
N U S XVII. 
DUCKS. 
C I E S I. 
The Wild Swan. 
hooper. JVil. 
Cygnus ferus. Briffon av. VI. 
Tab. 28. 
Anas cygnus ferus. Lin. fyft. 
Gefner av. 373. ? 
292. 
122 . 
r I H E wild fwan frequents our coafts in 
hard winters in large flocks, but as far 
as we can inform ourfelves does not 
breed in Great-Britain. Martin * acquaints us, 
that fwans come in OBober in great numbers to 
Lin gey , one of the wejlern ifles ; and continue 
there till March , when they retire more north to 
breed. Thefe, as well as moft other water fowl, 
prefer for that purpofe thofe places that are left 
frequented by mankind i accordingly we find that 
the lakes and forefts of the diftant Lapland are 
filled during fummer with myriads of water fowl, 
and there fwans, geefe, the duck tribe, goofanders, 
* Defer . 'weft, ijles 71. 
divers, See. pafs that feafon; but in autumn return 
to us, and to other more hofpitable (bores f. 
This fpecies is lefs than the tame fwan. The 
lower part of the bill is black ; the bafe of it and 
the fpace between that and the eyes is covered 
with a naked yellow fkin ; the eyelids are bare 
and yellow : the whole plumage in old birds is of 
a pure white ; the down is very foft and thick : 
the legs dufky. The cry of this kind is very 
loud, and may be heard at a great diftance, from 
which it is fometimes called the hooper. 
•f Flora Lapponica 273. Ouvres de M. de Maupertuis. tom. 3. p. 141, 
175. according to the obfervation of that illuftrious writer, the Lapland 
lakes are filled with the chryfalides of fome infeff (the Knat, culex pipiens. 
Lin.fyfl. 602.) which being an agreeable food to water fowl, is another 
taufe of their refort to thofe deferts. 
SPECIES II. The Tame Swan. 
IVil. orn. 355. 
Rail fyn. av. 136. 
Edw. av. 150. 
Plot/s hift. Staff. 228. 
I 
r~|T“^ H i S is the largeft of the Britijh birds; 
it is diftinguifhed externally from the 
-SL wild fwan ; firft by its fize, being much 
larger : and fecondly by the bill, which in this is 
red, and the tip and fides black ; and the fkin 
between the eyes and bill is of the fame color . 
over the bafe of the upper mandible pioje£fs a 
black callous knob : the whole plumage in old 
birds is white ; in young ones afli-colored ; the 
Briffon av. VI. 288. 
Anas cygnus manfuetus. Lin. fyft. 
122. 
Gefner av. 371. 
legs dufky : but DoBor Ploit mentions a variety 
found on the Trent near Buge/y, with red legs. 
The fwan lays feven or eight eggs, and is near 
two months in hatching : it feeds on water plants, 
infers and (hells. In former times it was ferved 
up at every great feaft as a dilh of ftate, when the 
eleo-ance of the table was meafured by the fize 
and quantity of the good cheer. 
O o 
SPECIES 
