Mr. Ray to Dr. Robinfbti. 163 



is of a rank, ferine, and pifcofe Tafte : As for Exam- 

 ple, that of the Soland Goofe^ the Englijh Puffin^ and 

 thofe of the Trida&ylous Kind 5 fo that only the 

 young ones of thofe Kinds are admitted to our Ta- 

 bles. I obferved in this Bird, and in fome others of 

 the Sea-Ducks, which are much under Water, that 

 they want that Veflel, or Ampulla^ fituate in the ve- 

 ry Angle of the Divarication of the Wind-pipe, 

 which, for want of a better, and fitter Name, we 

 are wont to call the Labyrinth of the Trachea > which, 

 though being common alio to the Colymbi^ which 

 of all Birds dive moft and continue longeft under 

 Water, we may very probably from thence conclude 

 that the Labyrinth doth not ferve them for a Refer- 

 vatory of Air, to enable them to continue the longer 

 under Water, as I fometimes conje£hir'd, but for the 

 intending or modulating of the Voice, feeing in the 

 Plafh-Ducks the Females want it. But I am fome- 

 what to feek about the Ufe of this VefFel, and I think 

 it were worth the while to examine what Sorts of 

 Birds have it, what want it > and in thofe Sorts that 

 have it, whether thfe Males only, or in fome the Fe- 

 males alfc. I obferved it in the Mergus cirratus Ion* 

 girofter major ^ or the Dun-Diver ^ and that very large, 

 and extended by very ftrong Bones > and yet I thought 

 my felf to have fufficient Reafbn to judge that Bird 

 to be the Female of the Merganfer\ but I dare not 

 be confident that it is a Female, becaufe of this La- 

 byrinth. And now that I am writing of Birds, I 

 propofe it to your Confideration, whether that Sort 

 of Bird, mention'd by Dr. Plot to be often heard in 

 PFoodftock Park) (from the Noife it makes, commonly- 

 called the Woodcracker) be not the lefler Sort of 

 Picus martins varius? For fince the publifhing of 

 Mr. TVillughby^ Ornithology^ I have obferved that 

 Bird fitting on the Top of an Oaken Tree, making 

 with her Bill fuch a cracking, or fnapping Noife, as 

 we heard a long way off, the feveral Snaps, or Cracks, 



Y ; fucceeding 



