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XXIX. 071 the remarkable Formation of the Trachea in the 

 Egyptian Tantalus. By Joshua Brookes, Esq., F.R.S. ^ L.S. 



Read March l6, 1830. 



Of all the organs with which animals are furnished, the vital 

 organs justly excite our highest admiration; and in contempla- 

 ting the great variety of conformation in the thoracic viscera in 

 various species, the physiologist is frequently at a loss to account 

 for the function of their striking peculiarities of structure. 



The subject of the present observations is the trachea of the 

 Tantalus Ibis, or Egyptian Tantalus*, a bird rarely imported in 

 a living state, and probably the present specimen of that organ 

 is the only one of the kind in Europe. I am not aware that 

 there is any record of a similarly constructed trachea having 

 been found in any other genus of the feathered tribe. This bird 

 died shortly after its arrival in England ; and being sent to Mr. 

 Leadbeater for preservation, he kindly presented me with the 

 body in a recent state. 



As there is not any unusual occurrence in the upper part of 

 the trachea, I shall proceed immediately to describe that por- 

 tion of the organ which is contained within the thorax. Here 

 a lateral compression takes place of about three inches in 

 lenght, and an inch in breadth ; the part thus compressed is 

 larger and rounder at one margin than it is at the other, where 



* The preparation of this organ was presented to the Zoological Society, and may 

 now be seen in the Museum of that Institution. 



it 



