This magnificent bird is well known from being kept in a
half-domesticated condition throughout many parts of Europe, whence
it has been carried to other countries. In England, according to
Newton, it was more abundant formerly than at present, the young being
highly esteemed for the table. It was under special enactments for its
preservation, being regarded as a "bird royal," which no subject could
possess without license from the crown, the granting of which license
was accompanied by the condition that every bird in the "game," the old
legal term, of swans should bear a distinct mark of ownership on the
bill. Originally this ownership was conferred on the larger freeholders
only, but it was gradually extended, so that in the reign of Elizabeth
upwards of nine hundred distinct swan marks, being those of private
persons or corporations, were recognized by the royal swanherd, whose
jurisdiction extended over the whole kingdom. At the present time the
Queen's companies of Dyers and Vintners still maintain their swans on
the Thames. The largest swanery in England is that belonging to Lord
Ilchester.
It has been stated that the swan was introduced into England in the
reign of Richard Coeur de Lion; but it is now so perfectly naturalized
that birds having the full power of flight remain in the country.
There is no evidence to show that its numbers are ever increased
by immigration from abroad, though it is known to breed as a wild
bird in the extreme south of Sweden, whence it may be traced in a
south-easterly direction to the valley of the Danube.
The nest of the swan is a large mass of aquatic plants, is often two
feet high and six feet in diameter. The eggs are from five to nine
in number, of a grayish-olive color. The young are hatched in five
to six weeks, and when hatched are clothed in sooty-gray down, which
is succeeded by feathers of dark soot-gray. This suit is gradually
replaced by white; but the cygnets are more than a year old before they
lose all trace of color and become wholly white.
The swan of North America is considerably larger than that of the old
world. The first species is the trumpeter, so-called, of which the bill
is wholly black, and the second (_Cygnus columbianus_, or _americanus_)
has the colored patches on the bill of less extent and deepening almost
into scarlet.
Fossil remains of more than one species of swan have been found.
Our picture presents this stately bird swimming among water lilies, a
sight that may be seen in summer in some of our American parks, notably
the Central Park of New York City. Chicago and Cincinnati have some
fine specimens. For portrait and sketch of the black swan, see Vol.
III, pp. 66, 67.