54 THE STOMACH. 



are able to continue a much longer time without food 

 than others. An Eagle has been known to fast for 

 three weeks; those who had the charge of it having for- 

 gotten to provide its usual supply of food. It soon, 

 however, recovered its strength, and did not appear to 

 suffer from its extraordinary abstinence. How long 

 other birds can sustain hunger, we can have few oppor- 

 tunities of learning, but probably it will be found that 

 such as are most likely from their habits and particular 

 sort of food, to be more exposed to a precarious and 

 doubtful supply, are, generally speaking, best provided 

 against the chance of suffering. But this is not always 

 the case, for Geese and Fowls, which are rarely without 

 the means of supplying themselves, have been known to 

 remain a surprising length of time in a fasting state. A 

 favourite hen, which had been missed for upwards of 

 four weeks, was fortunately found at the bottom of a 

 deep well, by a person who went down to repair it: the 

 poor bird, when discovered, was perched on a small 

 piece of timber floating on the water, and when taken 

 up was in a very exhausted state, but soon recovered. 



A Goose was accidentally shut up in a shed, and sup- 

 posed to have been carried away by a fox, when, at the 

 expiration of three weeks, it was discovered alive ; for a 

 few days it continued in a weak state, but gradually 

 resumed its strength. 



Having taken a short view of the frame-work and 

 internal construction of a bird, with reference to the 

 disposal of its food, we shall next consider some other 

 of the vital functions, commencing with those of breath- 

 ing and voice. The lungs of men and animals occupy, 

 as is well known, a large portion of the chest, whereas, 

 in birds, the space occupied is not only much smaller, 

 but the lungs themselves are of a more firm and com- 

 pact texture. At the same time they are most plenti- 

 fully supplied with air-cells, communicating with other 

 cells, profusely distributed over every part of the system, 

 by which their bodies are in a manner blown up and 



