VOL. v.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 49I 



much better performed than else they could, I attempted several of them; some 

 of whose successes I find in the following memorials. 



Exj). I. — August 16. A linnet being put into a receiver, capable to hold 

 about 44- pints of water, the glass was well closed with cement and a cover ; 

 but none of the air was drawn out with the engine or otherwise. And though 

 no new air was let in, nor any change made in the imprisoned air ; yet the 

 bird continued there three hours without any apparent approach to death : and 

 though it seemed somewhat sick, yet being afterwards taken out, it recovered 

 and lived several hours. 



Exp. II. — Aug. 18. From the above mentioned receiver about half the air was 

 drawn out, a linnet being then in the glass, and in that rarefied air, which 

 appeared by a gauge to continue in that state, the bird lived an hour and near 

 a quarter before it seemed in danger of death ; after which the air being let in 

 without taking off the receiver, she manifestly recovered, and leaped against the 

 side of the glass ; being taken out into the open air she flew out of my hand to 

 a considerable distance. 



Exp. III. — Sept. 9. We conveyed into a receiver, capable of holding about 

 44- pints of water, a lark, together with the gauge, by the help whereof we 

 pumped out of the receiver 4- of the air that was in it before ; then heedfully 

 observing the bird, we perceived it pant very much, so that a learned physi- 

 cian (from whom I yet dissented,) judged those beatings to be convulsive : 

 having continued thus for a little more than a minute and a half; the bird fell 

 into a true convulsive motion, that cast it upon the back. And although we 

 made great haste to let in the air, yet before the expiration of the second 

 minute, and consequently in less than half a minute from the time immediately 

 preceding the convulsion, the lark was gone past all recovery, though divers 

 means were used to effect it. 



Exp. IV. — Sept. 9. Presently after we put into the same receiver a greenfinch, 

 and having withdrawn the air till it appeared by the gauge that there remained but 

 half, we presently began to observe the bird, and took notice that, within a 

 minute after, she appeared to be very sick, and shaking her head, threw against 

 the inside of the glass a certain substance which I took to be vomit, and which 

 afterwards appeared so ; upon this evacuation the bird seemed to recover, and con- 

 tinue pretty well, but not without panting, till about the end of the fourth minute, 

 at which growing very sick, she vomited again, shaking her head as at first, but 

 much more unquestionably than before, and soon after eat up again a little of 

 her vomit, at which time, whether that contributed to her recovery or not, she 

 very much recovered. And though she had in all three fits of vomiting, yet for 

 the last seven or eight minutes that we kept her in the receiver, she seemed to 



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