176* 
purpose tli an the examples of the Scoter 
and Velvet Duck, the latter of which has 
not only an enlargement of the cavity at 
the bottom part, but likewise a large hol- 
low in the middle, added to a third en- 
largement of the hollow bone jnst below 
the larynx ; but in the first-named not the 
least deviation from an uniformly cylindri- 
cal shape is seen throughout the whole of 
its length, in either sex : — yet wonderful to 
say, the Scoter has by far the greater fa- 
cility of the two, in respect to diving and 
staying under the water, and on account 
of this property of diving becomes one of 
the most difficult birds to kill in its own ele- 
ment, as twenty shots have been made at 
one of these, by a good marksman, before 
one has taken effect. We cannot do amiss 
al^o to remind the reader, that none of the 
genus Colymbus, Podiceps or Uria, which 
have acquired the name of Divers from be- 
ing so often under water, enjoy any mate- 
rially different construction of the Trachea 
from the Cock and Hen, which are w ell 
known to avoid the water from instinct, 
neither can I discover that any thing oc- 
