THE ZOOLOGIST
THIRD SERIES.
Vol. I.] DECEMBER, 1877. [No. 12. |
THE SWANNERY AT ABBOTSBURY.
By the Rev. Alfred Charles Smith, M.A.
Having searched in vain through the pages of 'The Zoologist,' and other kindred journals of Natural History, for some account of this interesting colony,[1] I have thought it might be acceptable to ornithologists who have never had an opportunity of seeing it if I jotted down a few memoranda of a delightful day which I spent there on the 19th July last. For, in truth, being almost, if not quite unique in this country,—at all events being unrivalled in size,—the Swannery at Abbotsbury deserves the attention of naturalists, and of all who delight in a beautiful and novel sight. Moreover, the locality is one of remarkable interest in several other respects; and the archæologist, the ecclesiologist, and the geologist, as well as the ordinary tourist would, each in his special line, find himself well rewarded by a visit to it.
Let me begin, then, by saying something of Abbotsbury. It lies, at the distance of some eight miles, nearly due west of Weymouth; and a wild, hilly, but picturesque drive through lanes abounding in a great variety of botanical species, affords excellent views of the famous "Chesil Bank," which may be seen stretching
- ↑ Some observations on this Swannery will be found in 'The Zoologist' for 1865 (p. 9671). A typographical error, however, occurs in the foot-note on that page, where the compositor has put "two hundred" for "five hundred" Swans, an error easily accounted for, but one which should be corrected. For other sources of information the reader may be referred to Hutchins, 'History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset,' 1774 (which contains a Catalogue of Dorsetshire Birds by Dr. Pulteney), Mr. Mansell Pleydell's 'Ornithology and Conchology of the County of Dorset' (pp. 3 and 41), and an accurate and interesting article in 'Good Words' for March 1st, 1807, entitled "A Visit to the Swannery."— Ed.
