Swan Upping

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Swan Upping is an annual ceremonial and practical activity in England in which mute swans on the River Thames are rounded up, caught, marked, and then released.

Traditionally, the Monarch of the United Kingdom owns all unmarked mute swans on the River Thames. This dates from the 12th century, during which swans were a common food source for royalty. Swan upping is a means of establishing a swan census. Under a Royal Charter of the 15th century, the Vintners' Company and the Dyers' Company, two Livery Companies of the City of London, are entitled to share in the Sovereign's ownership. They conduct the census through a process of ringing the swan's feet, but the swans are no longer eaten.

Swan upping occurs annually during the third week of July. During the ceremony, the Queen's, the Vintners', and the Dyers' Swan Uppers row up the river in skiffs. Swans caught by the Queen's Swan Uppers under the direction of the Swan Marker remain unmarked, those caught by the Dyers' are ringed on one leg, and those caught by the Vintners are ringed on both legs. Originally, rather than being ringed, the swans would be marked on the bill — a practice commemorated in the pub name The Swan with Two Necks, a corruption of the term "The Swan with Two Nicks".

王室的天鵝

倫敦泰晤士河上每年在7月第三個星期都舉行一次特別的儀式。開始時，一些小艇整齊排列，艇上的人都穿上制服，究竟他們在做什麼？
原來，按照幾百年的古老傳統，泰晤士河上的天鵝都屬於王室所有，一年一度的儀式就是為了統計天鵝的數目，以及瞭解它們的狀況。

在這個儀式之中，河上的天鵝都由專人撲住，方便量度工作。

參與“行動”的都是經王室特許的一些組織，因為這個緣故，它們的小艇上除了掛上自己的旗幟外也掛有女王伊莉莎白二世的旗幟。

這是最高負責人的帽子。除了王冠之外，更插上了天鵝的白羽毛。
負責人的制服是奪目的紅色的，就如不少其他王室雇員的制服一樣，而且也有王室徽號。一年一度的大行動的其中一個目的是瞭解天鵝的生長情況。這是量度小天鵝長大了多少。
工作人員也量度天鵝的體重。
量度工作完畢，工作人員會在天鵝的腿上以小金屬環登記資料，以作標記。
天鵝力氣很大，因此，有時候需要出動好幾個人來制服一隻天鵝。
有時候更需要出動幾艘小艇，一起把天鵝圍困，方便量度工作。
在所有登記工作完成後，工作人員會把天鵝放回河上。


	伦敦泰晤士河上每年在7月第三个星期都举行一次特别的仪式。开始时，一些小艇整齐排列，艇上的人都穿上制服，究竟他们在做什么？