Swan upping

My favourite item in the "Horace Walpole and Strawberry Hill" exhibition at the V&A was the book of swan markings. And less than a week later, by coincidence, I found more - on this website, which incidentally has lots of other eclectic items.

"All swans were Crown property," says the V&A's caption, "but licences of private ownership could be granted to individual or institutions of appropriate status. These were regulated by the Swan Act of 1482, with the ownership indicated by marks on the beak. The book refers to swans in Norfolk."

Similar marking systems indicating ownership exist for cattle in the wild American west (brands) and for reindeer in Lapland (ear clipping), that I know of - and others no doubt - all those ear tags for livestock and leg bands for birds.

Swan upping refers to the marking of the swans - but first catch your swan! This is an annual ritual on the Thames. Here's Stanley Spencer's rendition -