MONOGRAPH OF THE FALCONIIhE, 
open ear, which is fitted to receive melodious sounds, and to re- 
peat them by a particular muscular apparatus on the lower larynx. 
In all birds, moreover, some bones even take part in the respi- 
ration ; in many birds we find oxygen to be conducted through 
air-sacks, even into the intestines, in order to bathe them in 
that element of bird-life. No class consumes a greater quantity 
of oxygen than that of birds, and two sparrows, for instance, 
inhale more of it than a rabbit which weighs many times more 
than they. Their lungs and blood are therefore of a lighter red 
colour, and their blood is some degrees warmer than that of the 
mammalia. Their pulse beats on that account more forcibly, and 
is rather like that of a feverish mammal. The greater number 
of them have a loud, and in proportion to their size, an enormous 
voice, which they make frequent use of in gladness and sorrow. 
As a whole, birds may be called rather small than large, rather 
light than heavy. Nearly the greater number of them are active, 
swift flyers, mounting high into their element, the air. In this 
class, we see the wings developed in length at the cost of the feet. 
The muscles of the breast are in most of them enormous ; in 
like manner is the crest of the sternum, on which the muscles 
aie attached. In this class we first observe the most artful con- 
stiuction of nests, and the most melodious sounds of voice, birds 
are, according to Mr. Oken, Ear-breast ; and by my researches, 
Iiespiration-anima Is. 
In the class of birds, there is an order possessed of the most 
sensible ear, the most melodious voice, the most artificial con- 
struction of nests, the largest breast, the highest sternum, the 
longest w ings, the shortest tarsi, the smallest, almost serial, forms, 
with the greatest irritability ; it is the order Passer es ( Oscines 
sive ambulatores et clamatores), which I have called true birds , 
Ormthes , since all other names are improper. In like manner as 
the Aies do as a class, so must the Ornithes as Bird-birds take 
the second rank as an order.* 
^ om th | s xt Wl11 appear liow useless the endeavours of some ancient and recent 
mithologists are, to vindicate the first rank to the singing birds; since these, as 
the fundamental forms of all birds, must occupy the same rank which the class of 
0CCU * >y ^ le ^ rst subkingdom. That classification could only be pro- 
-with JL ^ eis0I1 ' s " 10 wot recognise the nerve-element in the Psittacidce, or 
M-16 ’ ” 0t ackno " k<l « e mammalian type in them. 
