Birds, %c. 4257 



has been the cause of death, such as a blow, a flash of lightning, vio- 

 lent pain from spasm or inflammation, &c. If all four cavities of the 

 heart are gorged with black blood, that creature has died suffocated, 

 whether from drowning, foul air, or other accident, or from disease of 

 the lungs, or a comatose condition of the brain. These are instances 

 of the conclusions which may be drawn from accurate examination of 

 the contents of each of the four cavities of the heart. 



Having made out the immediate condition which produced death, 

 we must next seek within the bodv for whatever may have caused it. 

 And even if the cause has obviously been something external, it will 

 still be instructive to pursue our examination. The heart heing now 

 under inspection, should therefore be examined for aneurism, dilata- 

 tion, valvular disease, or inflammation of any part of it or its investing 

 membrane. 



3. The lungs, pleura, bronchial tubes, and larynx should be next 

 examined, for inflammation, effusion, tubercle, &c, and for any 

 mechanical obstruction of the tubes, or of the opening of the wind- 

 pipe. 



4. From the top of the larynx, the examination should be carried 

 down the oesophagus into the stomach, looking for inflammation 

 or other disease in passing along. The contents of the stomach, and 

 their condition, should be always carefully noted, and their quantity 

 ascertained either by weight or measure. 



5. The liver should be now examined, then the abdominal cavity, 

 peritonaeum, intestinal canal, and other organs contained in the 

 abdomen. 



6. Lastly, if no cause of death has thus far been discovered, and 

 indeed in every practicable case, examine the brain and spinal cord, 

 especially looking out for signs of inflammation, dark venous conges- 

 tion, or extravasation of blood. 



This rough sketch of the things to be observed in examining 

 any dead creature, may serve to guide those who have not had prac- 

 tical experience in such manipulations ; for, though very incomplete, 

 it hardly permits any ordinary cause of death among the lower animals 

 to escape detection. And some such guide as this is needed ; for, 

 except in the limited area of veterinary art, the causes of death among 

 those creatures are either not noticed at all, or in too imperfect 

 a manner to answer any useful purpose. As far as my own leisure 

 permits, I intend to take every opportunity of examining the bodies 

 of birds and animals, carefully booking the results. 



The examinations I have thus far made, though comparatively few, 

 XII. P 



