198 THE BIRDS OF ESSEX.
as it was probably introduced into England, though many centuries:
ago, it has not a very good claim to this distinction.
[Black Swan.
An introduced Australian species, which has no claim whatever to a
place on the British list, though individuals are not unfrequently shot,
apparently quite wild and undomesticated. For instance, one was shot
at the Lordship Farm, Writtle, in the winter of 1875-6, and another here
in July, 1878, while Dr. Bree records (34. 3492) one, shot out of a pair
at Bradwell, on July 9th, 1873, after having been seen at Walton-on-the-
Naze, Frinton, &c. Col. Russell, writing to Mr. Hope on August 17th,
1884, says : " One of the Mussetts from West Mersea shot a Black
Swan on the 1st Aug. One, probably the same, was there on Aug. 1st,
three or four years ago." Dr. Bree records an adult male shot at Mersea
on June 10th, 1864 (29. June 25). This had probably escaped from
Abbots Ripton Hall, Hunts (29. July 9th, 1864). On July 9th, 1871,.
two were seen about ten yards above the sea and fifty from the shore
passing Walton-on-Naze, going from Harwich towards Clacton. They
were fired at but missed at Frinton. A. Mussett subsequently shot a
male, having an entirely empty stomach, at Bradwell. The other escaped
(29. July 29, 1871).
Whooper Swan: Cygnus musicus. Locally, "Wild Swan."
A not uncommon visitor to our coast during severe winters, when
it is also sometimes met with inland.
Dale, writing of Harwich, says (2. 403) : " This in winter time is often shot
upon this coast," and Lindsey, writing at that place in 1851, says (27. Ap. 58)
they "visit us in the winter, arriving in flocks, sometimes as late as Christmas,
and are generally more numerous as the weather becomes more severe." Mr.
Kerry says (40. iv. 69) that a good many were seen about Harwich during the
severe weather in December, 1879. and that one was shot on the 8th. Mr. Parsons
writes (8) :—
" The winter of 1829-30 was very severe. There were a good many birds be-
fore Christmas, but in January the weather was so severe and the shore so bunged
up with ice, that there was no shooting. In February, we had a few' days good
sport. There were a good many Swans about, and an Eagle [was] shot on Foul-
ness. From Dec. 9th to Jan. 16th, it snowed every day, with only one or two
exceptions."
Mr. Clarke notes one (24) killed many years since out of a flock of four, and
long in the Audley End Collection ; also two killed at Audley End on Jan..
3lst, and two more on Feb. 4th, 1838. Mr. Blyth says (12. iii. 414) that in the
winter of 1837-38 " many appeared in this country and large numbers were shot.
In one place on the Thames I have information of a flock settling among a num-
ber of tame Swans, and readily coming to feed on bread, &c, that was thrown to
them. It was consequently hoped that they would have been induced to
remain in the locality, but at the breaking up of the frost they all disappeared,
after a sojourn of some weeks. At Manningtree, in Essex, however, a number
appear to have taken up their abode, and it is expected will breed there." King also
says (15) that "during the last severe winter [1837-38], this country was visited
by immense flocks of these birds. Several were shot in this neighbourhood
[Sudbury]." Edward Doubleday includes it in his list of Epping birds (15).
One, weighing 221/2 lbs., was shot at Southend early in 1861 (29. Feb. 9)-
Mr. A. H. Smee says (34. 2525) that during the severe weather in the beginning
of 1871, some were seen round the mouth of the Thames. One weighing twenty-