504 Zoological Proceedings of Societies. 



to, or inserted in, bone. In many of the birds of this order it resumes 

 the simple form ; and in none of them does it undergo any material alte- 

 ration at its bronchial extremity. The enlargement of the trachea at 

 this part takes place only among the JYatatores, in the snh-hmily ^natina, 

 Vig.; it is also here among the birds of the sub-family Anserina, Vig., 

 that the maximum of elongation occurs, of which the Anas semipalmata 

 furnishes a remarkable exan)ple. Mr. Yarrell adverted to the muscles of 

 voice, and made some observations respecting them. On this occasion his 

 remarks were general, but he proposed at a future period to return to the 

 detailed consideration of this subject. 



A Paper On the Tringa rufescens, VieilL, a species new to the British 

 Islands and to Europe : by William Yarrell, Esq., F.L.S., &c., was 

 read. The bird was exhibited to the meeting, and its peculiar charac- 

 teristics were pointed out on the specimen by Mr. Yarrell. This is pro- 

 bably the second individual which has yet fallen under the notice of Or- 

 nithologists, and appears to be unique in this state of its growth. 



June 24. — Mr. Hawkins communicated for exhibition a part of the 

 bottom of a vessel in which were implanted two portions of the length^ 

 ened upper mandible of a species of Xiphias, Linn. They penetrated 

 through the copper sheathing and were firmly fixed in the solid oak to 

 the depth of several inches. One of the portions appeared to be the 

 termination of the mandible, and was broken off obliquely ; the obli- 

 quity of the fracture probably giving to the extremity which remained 

 attached to the fish a sufficient degree of sharpness to enable it again to 

 enter the wood to an equal depth with that effected by the first blow. 

 The vessel in which it was discovered had returned from a voyage to the 

 East Indies. 



Mr. Yarrell exhibited a skeleton of the Trumpeter, Psophia crepitans, 

 Linn., and several other skeletons illustrative of each of the five divi- 

 sions of both the orders Rasores and Grallatores. He dwelt upon the 

 value of the characters derived from the bones generally as furnishing 

 indications for arrangement, and particularly noticed the importance of 

 the sternum and its appendages as affording support and attachment to 

 the bones of the shoulders, surface for the origin of the large and pow- 

 erful muscles from the exercise of which the great and distinguishing 

 character of the class is derived, as well as protecting and sustaining the 



