ThirstyFish

The Mute Swan is a species of swan native to Europe and Asia. It was introduced to the United States in the late 19th century and its numbers are increasing rapidly. They are no longer protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and are considered to be an invasive species. The are "mute" because they are less vocal than other species.

In old times, it was believed that the Mute Swan sang only once in its life, just before death, a beautiful song. The expression "Swan Song" has become a metaphor for a final memorable performance, gesture or effort. The proverb has been used in literature, poetry and art since it was introduced in Ancient Greece in the 3rd Century B.C.

B.C., stands for "Before Christ" while A.D. stands for "Anno Domini" (in the year of our Lord), to denote dates after the birth of Christ. B.C.E., "Before the Common Era" and C.E., "Common Era" mean exactly the same thing and can be used interchangeably to specify dates in the Gregorian Calendar. In the recent years, the issue of choice of notation has become controversial. Some Christians find the removal of reference to Jesus Christ to be offensive, while BCE/CE proponents claim that the Christian calendar no longer belongs exclusively to Christians and therefore should be universalized. Much ado about nothing!