B I R 



B I R 



under it ; e the pofterior longitudinal conftridor, detached 

 at one ex I remit v, and turned outwards : and Fig, (O. affords 

 another view of tlic fame fubjedl ; the pollerior longitudinal 

 conftriflor is tunird down to expofe thofe that lie behind it ; a 

 the little longitudinal conftriftor; b the oblique conftriftor. 

 Fig. 1 1, of Plate X. reprefents the anterior part of the organ 

 of voice in tlie parrot ; a the principal conllrictor ; b the 

 auxiliary one ; c the laxator : and Fig. 12. gives a lateral 

 view of the fame parts, which are indicated by correfpond- 

 ing letters. 



The trachea, in feveral birds, is found to aflume Angular 

 forms, and to fuffer enlargements at particular places. 

 Thefe have long attradted the attention of naturalills. 

 Som.e of the bell obfervations on the fubjecl have been made 

 by Dr. Bloch of Berlin, and by Pallas, Silberfchlag, 

 Beckmanii, and Otto, who have each publifhed in the Ber- 

 lin Tranfattions, fee Befch. des Berl. Nat. Fr. i. ii. iii. & iv. 

 But by far the molt copious account of the peculiarities 

 of the trachea of birds, has been given by Dr. Latham in 

 the Linnasan Tranfattions, vol. iv. p. 90. 



The deviations from the common ftrudlure of the trachea, 

 have been divided by Dr. Latham into two kinds. In 

 one the windpipe docs not alter its capacity, but pofrtlTes an 

 unufual Icngtli, v.liich is difpofed of either in convolutions 

 on the outer part of the bcdy underneath tiie integuments, 

 or in a cavity formed within the llernum for the pnrpofe. 

 The other kind of deviation confifts in dilatations occurring 

 either at the bifurcation of the trachea, or both there 

 and in the middle of the tube. 



The trachea of the tvooil grom, when arrived at the crop, 

 takes a bend upwards for a little way, and again turns down, 

 and purfues its courfe to the lungs. There has been no pe- 

 culiarity obferved in the other birds of this genus which vi- 

 flt this kingdoir:. 



In the marail turkey [pcr.elope vwrail), the trachea makes 

 a round turn on the outlide of the top of the (lernum, and 

 then enters tlie cheft. 



In the mate parraka phcajant, the wind-pipe defcends under 

 the fliin more than half the length of the body, before it 

 returns to enter the thorax. 



The guan [penelope crijlata) has the trachea ftiil longer than 

 the preceding. It pafles to the very bottom of the belly, 

 and then turns up again, before it makes the double. See 

 f /ale XI. in the ylnatomy of Birds, fg. 13. 



The Indian cock was obferved by the academicians to have 

 a degree of convolution in the trachea, which varies fome- 

 what in different individuals. 



The cujlieiu curajfoiv has the mod remarkable convolu- 

 tions of the trachea. It firft defcends upon the right pec- 

 toral mufcle to the end of the ftcrnum, where it makes a 

 convolution to the left, fomething in the fliape of a ring, 

 after which it returns to the right peftoral mufcle, and goes 

 over the clavicle into the thorax. 



The fcmi-pahtiafed goofe of New Holland hzi an extcnfive 

 convolution of the trachea under the fliin. Its note is 

 faid to be vei-y mufical. 



The ardea virgo, the 'wl/dor •whyilingfwsn, and the crane, 

 have the winding of the trachea accommodated in the keel 

 of the fternum. It is fingular that this ftrudlure does not 

 exift in the tame f-.uan, which in other refpedts fo much re- 

 fembles the wild bird. See Plate XI. in the Aiiatotny of 

 Birds. Fig. 14. fliews thofe parts in the tuild fivan ; 

 aaa the fternum cut open to expofe the cavity which 

 lodges the trachea ; b bb the trachea ; c c the fork ; 

 d d the clavicles. The above ftrufture belongs to both 

 fexes. 



The dilatations of the trachea are confined to two genera. 

 Vol. IV. 



anas and mergus ; and as already obferved, are only to be 

 met with in the male birds. 



The bony enlargements at the bifurcation into the bron- 

 chia, which are called ampulla, or labyrinths, exift in every 

 fpecies of duck and merganfer. They confitt of two cells, 

 one in general much larger than the other. In fome inftances 

 the parietes of the cells are in a great meafure formed by a 

 membrane fpread acrofs it, like the head of a drum. There 

 is alfo a bony arch turned acrofs to give llrength. This is 

 the cafe in the fcaup duck, the pochard, tinted duck, the 

 fmeiu, i^c. See Plate XI. Fig. 15 is the end of the wind- 

 pipe of the pochard {anas ferina). 



The trachea of the golden eye duck is very curious. The 

 labyrinth is more complicated than ufual ; and there is a fin- 

 gular enlargement in the middle, which is formed by carti- 

 laginous joints, or plaits, placed obliquely, and folding over 

 each other, fo that the part admits of being contraixed and 

 lengthened, as the motions of the neck may require. 



The -oclvct duck is diftinguifhcd by two very remarkable 

 ofTeous enlargements, one is fituated immediately below ths 

 fuperior larynx, and another in the middle of the wind-pipe. 

 The lower part does not form the ufual ampulla, but the 

 bronchia: become for a little way bony canals. See Plate 

 XL in the Anatomy of Birds. Fig. 16. reprefents the tra- 

 chea of the velvet duck ; a the fuperior, or laryngeal ofleous 

 cell ; b the bony cavity of the middle; cc the ofltioias parts 

 ot the bronchiae. 



The redhreafled merganfer has the middle of the tra- 

 chea formed like that of the goldm eye duck, only the 

 plaits are made of bone, and curiouflv furrowed ; indeed all 

 the trachea of the merganfers, as Dr. Lathr.m obferves, 

 confifts of little elfe than bone. 



A very little comparifon of the mechanifm of wind mufi- 

 cal inftruments with the organs of voice in birds, will fhcvr 

 how nearly they are allied to each other ; and it may be ob- 

 ferved, that the found produced by fome of the larger birds 

 is exactly fimilar to the notes that proceed from a clario- 

 net or hautboy in the hands of an untutored mufician. The 

 interior glottis exaflly correfponds to the reed, and produces 

 the tone or fimple found. The fuperior larynx gives it utter- 

 ance as the holes of the inftrument ; but the itrength and 

 body of the note depend upon the extent and capacity of 

 the trachea, and the hardnefs and elafticity of its parts. 

 The convolution and bony cells of the wind pipe, therefore, 

 may be compared with the turns of a French horn, and 

 the divifions of a bcijfoon ; and they produce the proper ef- 

 fects of thefe parts in the voices of thofe birds in which 

 they are found. 



Bird, in Aflronomy, Avis Indica. See Apus. 



Bird of Phcebus, the Raven, one of the fouthern conftel- 

 lations. See Corvus. 



Birds, m Ancient Augury. Prefcience, cr knowledge of 

 futurity, was fuppofed, among the ancients, a natural fa- 

 culty of birds, owing, perhaps, to their nearer intercoufe 

 with heaven, or their breathing a purer and more celeftial air 

 than other animals. Hence it was, that divination by birds ob- 

 tained among the ancient Greeks and Romans, being per- 

 formed by obferving, and interpreting the flight, chirping 

 and feedmg of divers birds. (SccAugury.) Birds, with re- 

 gard to augury and divination, were of divers kinds, viz, 

 Aves aufpicata, or felices, thofe which naturally portended 

 good : luch were the dove, fwan, &c. Aves inaufpicatit, 

 dire, ominofx, thofe which boded fome evil or milchief: 

 fuch were the kite, raven, crow, and owl, every where, ex- 

 cept at Athens. Admifftva, that which excites and encou- 

 rages the confulter to execute what he has in view. Arciva 

 or eirculiif that which forbad a tiling to be done ; otherwife 

 3 L called 



