Dr. Latham'* EJJay on the Trachea or Windpipes of Birds. 91 



of our attention, as it is only at particular feafons that fome of them 

 are to be met with, and feveral in mild winters do not vifit this 

 kingdom, except by feeming chance, or in very fmall numbers. It 

 is not poflible therefore that any perfon of himfelf, however advan- 

 tageoufly fituated, can hope to meet with a fufficient number of 

 fpecimens, without the affrftance of others. I fpeak this experi- 

 mentally, as without fuch aid 1 fhould not have been able to have 

 furnifhed matter for this effay. 



Amongft the various friend's to whom I am obliged in refpett to 

 this undertaking, the judicious and well-informed Naturalift,William 

 Boys, Efq, of Deal, ftands defervedly foremoft, having rendered me 

 very great amftance, not only by fpecimens, but by every obferva- 

 tion in his power. I find myfelf greatly indebted to my friend Co- 

 lonel Montagu, a moft diligent obferver of nature ; alfo to Mr. Lamb, 

 Surgeon, of Reading — all Fellows of this Society. Nor fhould I omit 

 my valuable correfpondent Dr. Bloch, of Berlin, who has rendered 

 himfelf confpicuous by feveral efTays on the prefent fubje<5fc, as may 

 be feen in the Berlin Tranfa&ion 9*. To which muft be added the 

 obfervations of DoctorsPallasf, BeckmannJ, Silberfchlag§, and Otto||, 

 contained in the fame works, all of which may be read to advantage ; 

 for although thefe gentlemen do not altogether coincide in their 

 opinions> yet as they all tend to the fame point, fuch efforts in order 

 to afcertain truth mult always be ufeful — Not forgetting due ac- 

 knowledgment to the valuable paper of the late Dr. Parfons, who, 

 many years prior to the above, gave an account of the ftructure of 

 the afpera arteria , or windpipes, of feveral Birds, and in the Land 



* Befch. der Berl. Nat. Fr. iv. p. 579. — Schrift. der Berl Nat. Fr. i. p. 57. 

 f Befch. der Berl. Nat. Fr. ii. p. 551, 

 % Befch. der Berl. Nat. Fr. i. p. 170. 

 j Schrift. der Berl. Nat. Fr. i. p. 36. 

 H Befch. der Berl. Nat. Fr. iii. p. 456. 



N 2 Tortoife, 



