The Silver Swan dates from 1773 and was first seen in 1774 in the Mechanical Museum of James Cox, a London showman and dealer. The swan is life-size and is controlled by three separate clockwork mechanisms. It is still in working order, though it is operated only once or twice a day because of its age.
The internal mechanism is by John Joseph Merlin, a famous inventor of the time. When set in motion, the swan appears to preen itself, then bends its neck and takes a fish from the water. In reality the fish is concealed in the swan’s beak.