The Swans of Norwich.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 11 March 1908, Page 76

The Swans of Norwich.

■ —Christmas a Sad Season For Them.— As far back as A.D. 1487 the records of the ancient city of Norwich tell of a "pit^' for fatting swans, situated in St- Helen's meadow. The meadow forms part of the lands of that beautiful old institution now known ai the Great Hospital, a noble and picturesque relic of monastic charity, which was founded A.D. 1289 for ihc relief of poor clergy. In 1547 the lands, buildings, rights, and emoluments of what was then known as St. Giles's Hospital were granted to tbe Mayor and corporation of the city, "to be henceforward a place and house of reli-ef of poor people." Now about 200 old men and women (mostly broken tradesfo'k) are tenderly cared for in the comfortable dormitories and halls, and it is for tho benefit of these unfortunates, says the London Daily Express, that the unique history of the Norwich swan fatting is carried on. The swans themselves breed about the watcti in a state of freedom.. They are purely monogamic, and when once they mate ihey mate for life. About March each

pair begins to busy themselves about th« nest, both male and female assisting to build a stout structure of marsh grass or sedge near the waters they mostly favour by their majestic presence. The male then depresses i a space in the nest by placing- himself in. ! the middle, and when an adequate hollow. | has been made his .mate ,take^ up, her position in the'^hole and' "commences to Jay. -The number of-eggs' varies" frptn 'is'iif 1 utfi-'utfi-' a. '.dozen, andithey hASch off'itf fiv&^witelce.';", Mixlo and'-'feniale take it »TiJtHrii''«o3*'s"&,: * and the percantage-of fertility is very high', almost 90 out of .c.very 100 eggs bringing; forth cygjnets. These. ( a«e at. first pretty little fluffy things', brownish or dun. in colour, and Andersen's story, of the ugly duckling does them ' great' frijusticof- The mother will often carry them on hef^bacfc as she sails, along with outstretched/ wings, ' and the father is a very efficient guard for his family. . Even man has been known.,to conic off second best' in an encounter, with a male swart in change of "his wife' ajid little ones, for so powerful are the mighty wings that tt blow from their full strength is sufficient to break a man's leg. ' ' From the time the little ones are hatched lo tho secqnd Monday in August- the; old and young feed about together. ' Tn«H: on • that fatal day comes the swan "upping," or "hopping.'* when the swan herds of the Great, Hospital and the corporation meet the herds of -the other owners of swan rights at the little angling station of Buckenham Ferry, on the River Yare, about 10 miles below Norwich. After a. breakfast a procession of boats starts in pursuit of the swans. Of course, it would be almost impossible to capture the birds in open water,. so they are driven to the side of the river, or ashore, or into the dikes that intersect the marshes by the riverside, where theyi are caught by an instrument like a shep- • herd's crook, which is hooked' round a leg. ' The old ones must be caught as well- aa the young, so that the markings on their beaks may be examined, as it is by thesethat the respective ownerships of the brood are discovered. If male and female belong to different owner?, the young are shared* and in' cases where the number is uneven, the herds of the owners of the parents settlo the proprietorship of the odd young one by the time-honoured system of "heads or tails" The old ones, having had their marks examined, and renewed', if necessary, are re'eased, and the younaj ones taken. When these have been rauled aboard a boat, those intended for fatting have their feet turned on their backs and tied with piecep of soft list. Those which arc to be released to grow up and breed have the marks of their owner cut qn their bills and a piece of their carpal feint removed so as to prevent them from flying. If this were not done they would soon fall a victim to the marksmen's guns, or would fly away when their wild kith and' kin come to the waters •in winter time. When the day's work is over the cygnets intended for fattening are taken up to the great hospital swan pit. Tho present pit dates from 1793. . Ifc i» 74ft in length. 32ft in width, and 6ft deep. The water in it is connected withjthe River Wensum by means of a dike and sluice, and risec and falls with the tide. In this the cyglnets (which may number from- 50' to> 100, according to the year) are set free. Their pinions are not harmed, as they will be killed before they can fly, and the operation on the carnal joint puts the birds back in giowing and fattening. They are fed' on barley, maize, and cut grass, ant) such cabbage leaves as may remain over from the kitchens of the hospital after providing for the inmates. The grain is thrown into troughs, which are submerged, floating just beneath the surface of the water, so that the birds can dip for the grain. Anyone who has seen a swan, feeding knows that it loves! to seek its ' food under water. The troughs are wooden," and are fastened in such' a manner that they rise and fall with the water in the Pi" . ' By Christmas each bird is at% ite best. Four bushels of grain, or something under that, go to fatten a swan, so that it is no light task to provide for a large number o£ the species. After Christmas the flesh begins to coarsen, and before the birds are a year old they are scarcely edible; bufe ' when they are at their prime they are a great delicacy. Their flavour resembles a. mixture of hare, wild duck, pheasant and gooso. and if properly cookea they are aa tender as a spring chicken.