added documentation and test

IPython/core/display.py

@@ -752,6 +752,11 b' class Latex(TextDisplayObject):'
 
 
 class SVG(DisplayObject):
+    """Embed an SVG into the display.
+
+    Note if you just want to view a svg image via a URL use `:class:Image` with
+    a url=URL keyword argument.
+    """
 
     _read_flags = 'rb'
     # wrap data in a property, which extracts the <svg> tag, discarding

IPython/core/tests/test_display.py

@@ -72,6 +72,12 b' def test_retina_png():'
     nt.assert_equal(md['width'], 1)
     nt.assert_equal(md['height'], 1)
 
+def test_embed_svg_url():
+    # 6.1kB of data
+    url = "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Vector-based_example.svg"
+    svg = display.SVG(url=url)
+    nt.assert_true(svg._repr_svg_().startswith('<svg '))
+
 def test_retina_jpeg():
     here = os.path.dirname(__file__)
     img = display.Image(os.path.join(here, "2x2.jpg"), retina=True)