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CHAPTER IV. 



Organs of Sound. Ducks, Crane, Goat-Sucker, Bell-Bird, etc. 

 Distance at which Sounds maybe heard. Plumage. Structure 

 of Feathers. Goose- Plucking. Summer and Winter Plumage. 



FROM the organs of breathing we naturally proceed to 

 those of voice. The striking difference existing between 

 those of birds and other animals, may, perhaps, be best 

 explained by comparing them with the organs of sound 

 in the human species. We utter sounds, and speak, 

 through a certain tube, communicating from the mouth 

 to the lungs, called the trachea or windpipe, which is 

 furnished with very beautiful contrivances for the pur- 

 poses of sound. In like manner, birds are provided 

 with windpipes ; but, unlike men and animals, they have 

 a double set of instruments, if they may be so called, 

 one at the upper, and the other at the lower end of the 

 windpipe ; and as it is in the lower part of the windpipe 

 chiefly that the peculiar contrivance for uttering sounds 

 is to be found, which may be compared to a clarionet, 

 or similar musical instrument, it so happens, strange to 

 say, that a bird might utter notes even after its head 

 was cut off. It is astonishing what powers and varieties 

 of notes this simple pipe is capable of producing. A 

 good deal depends on the construction of the windpipe 

 itself, and several, as the Duck tribe, are very curiously 



