MEMOIR OF CAMPER* 43 



researches, was led to suspect that there was in 

 birds an extraordinary and peculiar connexion be- 

 tween the two systems ; that the air-passages com- 

 mon to all breathing animals, communicated in birds, 

 by free conduits, with nearly the whole osseous 

 structure, filling the interior of all the principal bones 

 with air, thus greatly lessening the specific gravity 

 of the animals, and facilitating their elevation into a 

 rarer medium. Camper not only discovered such 

 to be the fact, but he found that this valuable and im- 

 portant end was attained by variations in the anato- 

 mical structure of birds, so slight that it was not 

 surprising they should have previously eluded ana- 

 tomical observation ; and in this very circumstance 

 he brought to light a remarkable manifestation of the 

 endless resources, the surpassing wisdom, and the 

 infinite power of the Almighty Architect. 



It appears evident that the Professor assumes to 

 himself the whole merit of this great discovery in 

 natural history; and yet his claim has been disputed, 

 and John Hunter again appears as his competitor. 

 In this instance, however, it is evident that our au? 

 thor had considerable priority, and superior and un- 

 questionable right to all the honour, though Mr 

 Hunter, by subsequently going over the same ground, 

 may have somewhat extended the discovery. There 

 is so much naivete and natural feeling in the words 

 in which Camper speaks of his discovery, as well as 

 so much intrinsic interest in the subject itself, that 

 we shall quote his words somewhat freely. 



