TRANSACTIONS 



OF 



THE LINNEAN SOCIETY. 



I. Description of the Organ of Voice in a new Species of fVild Swan (Cygnus 

 Buccinator, Richardson). By William Yarrell, Esq., F.L.S. 8^ Z.S. 



Read March 20th, 1832. 



I AM indebted to the liberality and kindness of Dr. Richardson for an 

 example of the sternum and trachea of a new species of wild swan, the Cygnus 

 Buccinator of the Fauna Boreali-^mei-icana, Part II., of Mr. Swainson and 

 Dr. Richardson ; a work in ornithology unexampled for beauty of illustration 

 and accuracy of detail. 



The possession of this valuable and probably unique specimen affords me 

 an opportunity of placing before the members of the Linnean Society the 

 following description and drawing. 



The interesting vaiiations which will be observed in the organ of voice in 

 this newly discovered species, as compared with the same parts in other 

 known swans, is an additional proof of the value of internal evidence as de- 

 cisive of specific distinction ; and it is particularly worthy of notice, that as 

 the shape and colour of the beak ; the number of the tail-feathers ; the course 

 of the tube of the trachea within the cavity of the sternum ; and the form 

 of the bronchiie ; — from the modifications observed in them all ; — have been 

 considered satisfactory as establishing the claim of Cygnus Beivickii to rank 

 as a species distinct from the Hooper: the same parts, external as well as 



VOL. XVII. B 



