154 



AVES. 



Many of the cold-blooded Ovipara do not bring forth their young until they are 

 developed and extricated from their shell, or other membranes which separated them 

 from their parent. These are called /«/A-e Ovipara. 



THE SECOND CLASS OF VERTEBRATED ANIMALS. 



THE BIRDS (JVES),— 



Are oviparous vertebrates with double circulation and respiration, [mostly] organized 

 for flight. 



Their lungs, undivided and attached to the ribs, are enveloped by a membrane 

 pierced with large holes, and which allows the air to pass into many cavities of the 

 chest, the abdominal region, arm-pits, and even of the interior of the bones* ; so that 

 the ambient fluid not only bathes the surface of the pulmonary vessels, but also that 

 of an infinitude of vessels traversing the rest of the body. Thus Birds respire, in 

 certain respects, by the ramifications of their aorta, as well as by those of their 

 pulmonary artery, and the energy of their irritability is in proportion to their amount 

 of respiration.! I'heir total conformation is arranged to participate in this energy. 

 Their anterior extremities, destined to sustain them in flight, could neither serve 

 them for standing, nor for clutching : they are bipeds, then, 

 and pick up objects from the earth with their mouth ; their 

 body, consequently, is balanced upon the legs ; the thighs 

 are directed forward, and the toes are lengthened to form 

 a sufficient base for standing. The pelvis is longitudi- 

 nally much extended, to furnish attachment to the muscles 

 which su})port the trunk ujjon the thighs : there is even 

 a suite of muscles proceeding from the pelvis to the toes ; 

 and passing over the knee and heel, so that the simple 

 weight of the bird flexes the toes : it is thus that they 

 are enabled to sleep perched on one foot. The isckia, and 

 especially the ossa pubis, are lengthened out behind, and 

 widened in their span, to allov/ the necessary space for 

 the developement of the eggs. 



The neck and the beak are elongated to reach the 

 ground ; but the former has also the requisite flexibility for 

 doubling backward when at rest. It has therefore numerous 

 vertebrae, [varying from twelve to twenty-three, which latter 

 number is attained only in the genus Cygnus], The trunk, 

 on the contrar)^ which serves as a fulcrum to the wings, 

 has but little mobility ; the sternum especially, to which 

 are attached the muscles which effect the propulsive stroke 

 in flying, is of great extent, its surface [except in the Ostrich and allied genera, which do 

 not fly,] being further augmented by a projecting ridge along its middle. It is [mostly] 



•■ 111 the HnrnbilU, 

 coN..MiiiiiLaU' «ith llif 

 .Ijilctyj, «l,iili lias II 



: ]itiHlaiif;es of the toes 

 The opposite extreiii 



t Two Sparrows co 

 1KB, Memijircs de Chi. 



; Unineii'pig.. — Lavoi- 



