150 MR. F. E. BEDDARD ON THE SYRINX AND OTHER [Mar. 2, 



Sharpe for the opportunity of examining a syrinx of this bird. The 

 accompanying drawing (fig. 3) ilhistrates the syrinx as seen from 

 behind. 



The last ring of the trachea is complete in front and incomplete 

 behind. The intrinsic muscles are attached to the middle of the sixth 

 bronchial semiring, though, when viewed from behind, it would appear 

 that the seventh bronchial semiring served for the attachment of these 

 muscles ; this appearance is caused by the incomplete terminal tra- 

 cheal ring. The six anterior bronchial semirings are ossified and firmly 

 united to each other and to the trachea ; both the anterior and poste- 

 rior extremities of the successive semirings are united by a continuous 

 bar of cartilage. The remaining bronchial semirings diifer to a very 



Fig. 3. 



Syrinx of Batraehostomus, 



marked degree from the anterior ones ; they are slender and unossified, 

 and separated by widish membranous intervals ; there are about ten 

 of these rings in either bronchus. The membrana tympaniformis, 

 which unites together the opposite sides of each bronchus, forming 

 its inner wall, is of equal diameter both in the posterior and anterior 

 regions of the bronchus ; there is a marked constriction, however, at 

 the point which divides the anterior from the posterior region of the 

 bronchus. 



Podargus cuvieri. — The syrinx of this Goatsucker appears to be 

 formed upon the same type as that of Batraehostomus, and to show 

 the same characters even to a greater degree. I have not been able 

 to examine the organ itself; the following remarks are based upon 

 a sketch made by the late Prof. Garrod'. 



'■ There is a brief description, unaccompanied by any figure, in Stannius' 

 •Lehrbueh der Vergleichenden Anatomie,' Bd. ii. p. 321. 



