THE ANATOMY OF BIRDS.—PNEUMATOLOGY. 201- 
and the thoracic eavity proportionally enlarged; the air then rushes into the lungs and tho- 
racic receptacles, while those of the abdomen become flaccid; when the sternum is raised or 
approximated towards the spine, part of the air is expelled from the lungs and thoracic cells 
through the trachea, and part driven into the abdominal receptacles, which are thus alternately 
enlarged and diminished with those of the thorax. Hence the lungs, notwithstanding their 
fixed condition, are subject to due compression through the medium of the contiguous air- 
receptacles, and are affected equally and regularly by every motion of the sternum and ribs. 
A third use, and perhaps the one which is most closely related to the peculiar exigencies of the 
bird, is that of rendering the whole body specifically lighter; this must necessarily follow from 
the desiccation of the marrow and other fluids in those spaces which are occupied by the air- 
cells, and by the rarification of the contained air from the heat of the body. . . . A fourth use 
of the air-receptacles relates to the mechanical assistance which they afford to the muscles of 
the wings. This was suggested by observing that an inflation of the air-cells in the gigantic 
erane (Ciconia argala) was followed by an extension of the wings, as the air found its way 
along the brachial and anti-brachial cells. In large birds, therefore, which, like the argala [or 
our wood ibis, Tantalus loculator], hover with a sailing motion for a long-continued period in 
the upper regions of the air, the muscular exertion of keeping the wings outstretched will be 
lessened by the tendency of the distended air-cells to maintain that condition. It is not meant 
to advance this as other than a secondary and probably partial service of the air-cells. In the 
same light may be regarded the use assigned to them by Hunter, of contributing to sustain the 
song of birds and to impart to it tone and strength. It is no argument against this function 
that the air-cells exist in birds which are not provided ‘with the mechanism necessary to pro- 
duce tuneful notes; since it was not pretended that this was the exclusive and only office of the 
air-cells.” (Owen, dnat. Vert., ii, 1866, p. 216.) 
Though nothing like them exists in mammals, it must not be inferred that these air- 
pouches are unique in birds. The general pulmonary mechanism is reptile-like, and the or- 
nithic development is simply a logical extreme of arrangements found in reptiles and lower 
' vertebrates, — even to the swim-bladder of a fish, which is morphologically and homologically 
pulmonary, though fishes’ gills are functionally, and therefore analogically. their lungs: i. ¢., 
their respiratory apparatus. 
The Trachea (Gr. rpayeia, tracheia, rough) or ‘‘ asper-artery” 
answers perfectly to its English name, wind-pipe. It is the tube 
which conveys air to and from the lungs (fig. 101, 1, 0 tog). It 
commences at the root of the tongue by a chink in the floor of the 
mouth (fig. 101, 3, ¢), rans down the neck in front between the 
gullet and the skin, and ends below by forking into right and left 
bronchus (fig. 101, 1, r, r). It is composed of a series of very 
numerous gristly or bony rings connected together by elastic 
membrane. Lengthening and shortening, effected by muscles 
to be presently noted, is permitted by a very ingenious and in- 
teresting construction of these rings, which will be clearly under- 
stood with the help of the figures (96, u, b, 97 1,2) borrowed from 
Maegillivray’s admirable account. When contracted, the rings 
look like an alternating series of lateral half-hoops, as in fig. ie. 66. ee tech oF tee 
96, a; when stretched to the utmost, as in fig. 96, 6 they are  chea, contracted to the utmost. 
clearly seen to be annular, or completely circular. The curious ee ay aioe & oe car : 
bevelling of the right and left sides . each ring alternately is _ stretched to two inches, the rings 
shown in fig. 97, 1,2; and fig. 97, 1, 2, represents the same two sles Acie ait pele 
rings put together. The principle by which any two rings slip _ gillivray.) 
