Thus having dispatched the Parts principally concerned in the Motion of the Feather’d Tribe, let us proceed to some other Parts not yet animadverted upon. And we will begin with the Head, concerning which I have already taken notice of its Shape for making way through the Air; of the make of the Bill, for gathering Food, and other Uses; the commodious Situation of the Eye; and I might add that of the Ear too, which would be in the way, and obstruct Flight, if ’twas like that of most other Animals: Also I might say a great deal of the Conformation of the Brain, and of the Parts therein wanting, and of others added, like to what is observable in Fishes; whose Posture in the Waters resembles that of Birds in the Air[a], and both very different from Man and Beasts; and lastly, to hint at no more, I might survey the peculiar Structure of the Larynx[], the Tongue[c], the inner Ear[d], and many Matters besides; but for a Sample, I shall only insist upon the wonderful Provision in the Bill for the judging of the Food, and that is by peculiar Nerves lodged therein for that Purpose; small and less numerous in such as have the Assistance of another Sense, the Eye; but large, more numerous, and thickly branched about, to the very End of the Beak, in such as hunt for their Food out of Sight in the Waters, in Mud, or under Ground[e].
And now from the Head and Mouth, pass we to its near Ally, the Stomach, another no less notable than useful Part; whether we consider the Elegancy of its Fibres and Muscles, or its Multiplicity; one to soften and macerate, another to digest; or its Variety, suited to various Foods, some membraneous, agreeable to the frugivorous, or carnivorous Kind; same musculous and strong[f], suited to the Comminution, and grinding of Corn and Grain, and so to supply the Defect of Teeth.
And now to this Specimen of the Parts, I might add many other Things, no less curiously contriv’d, made and suited to the Occasions of these Volatiles; as particularly the Stratum and Lodgment of the Lungs[g]; the Configuration of the Breast, and its Bone, made like a Keel, for commodious Passage through the Air, to bear the large and strong Muscles, which move the Wings, and to counterpoise the Body, and support and rest it upon at roost. The Neck also might deserve our Notice, always either exactly proportion’d to the Length of the Legs, or else longer, to hunt out Food, to search in the Waters[h]; as also to counterpoise the Body in Flight[]. And lastly, I might here take Notice of the Defect of the Diaphragm, so necessary in other Animals to Respiration; and also of divers other Parts redundant, defective, or varying from other Animals. But it would be tedious to insist upon all; and therefore to the Examples already given, I would rather recommend a nice Inspection[k], of those curious Works of God, which would be manifest Demonstrations of the admirable Contrivance and Oeconomy of the Bodies of those Creatures.
From the Fabrick therefore of their Bodies, I shall pass to a Glance of one or two Things, relating to their State; and so conclude this Genus of the animal World.
FOOTNOTES:
[a] Cerebra Hominum & Quadrupedum in plerisque similia existunt——Capitibus Volucrum & Piscium contenta, ab utrisque prioribus longè diversa, tamen inter se, quoad præcipuas ἐγκεφάλου partes, Symbola reperiuntur. The Particulars wherein the Brains of Birds and Fishes agree with one another, and wherein they differ from the Brain of Man and Beasts, see in the same justly famous Author, Willis Cereb. Anat. c. 5.
[] Circa bifurcationem Asperæ Arteriæ, elegans Artificis liberè agentis indicium detegitur ex Avium comparatione cum Quadrupedibus: cùm Vocis gratia in diversis Avibus diversam musculorum fabricam bifurcationi Asperæ Arteriæ dederit, quorum nullum vestigium extat in Homine & Quadrupedibus mihi visis, ubi omnes vocis musculos capiti Arteriæ junxit. In Aquilâ, &c. supra bifurcationem, &c. Steno in Blas. Anat. Animal. P. 2. c. 4.
The Aspera Arteria is very remarkable in the Swan, which is thus described by T. Bartholin, viz. Aspera Arteria admirandæ satìs structuræ. Nam pro Colli longitudine deorsum Oesophagi comes protenditur donec ad sternum perveniat, in cujus capsulam se incurvo flexu insinuat & recondit, velut in tuto loco & thecâ, moxque ad fundum ejusdem cavitatis delata sursum reflectitur, egrediturque angustias Sterni, & Claviculis mediis concensis, quibus ut fulcro nititur, ad Thoracem se flectit——Miranda hercle modis omnibus constitutio & Respriationi inservit & Voci. Nam cùm in stagnorum fundo edulia pro victu quærat, longissimo indiguis collo, ne longa mora suffocationis incurreret periculum. Et certè dum dimidiam fere horam toto Capite & Collo pronis vado immergitur, pedibus in altum elatis cœloque obversis, ex eâ Arteriæ quæ pectoris dictæ vaginæ reclusa est portione, tanquam ex condo promo spiritum haurit. Blas. ib. c. 10.
[c] The Structure of the Tongue of the Wood-Pecker is very singular and remarkable, whether we look at its great Length, its Bones and Muscles, its encompassing part of the Neck and Head, the better to exert it self in Length; and again, to retract it into its Cell; and lastly, whether we look at its sharp, horny, bearded Point, and the glewy Matter at the end of it, the better to stab, to stick unto, and draw out little Maggots out of Wood. Utilis enim Picis (saith Coiter) ad Vermiculos, Formicas, aliaque Insectæ venanda talis Lingua foret. Siquidem Picus, innata suâ sagacitate cùm deprehendit alibi in arboribus, vel carie, vel aliâ de causâ cavatis, Vermes insectaque delitescere, ad illas volitat, seseque digitis, ungulisque posterioribus robustissimis, & Caudæ pennis rigidissimis sustentat, donec valido ac peracuto Rostro arborent pertundat; arbore pertusâ, foramini rostrum immittit, ac quo animacula stridore excitet percellatque, magnam in arboris cavo emittit vocem, insecta vociferatione hâc concitata huc illucque repunt; Picus v. linguam suam exerit, atque aculeis, hamisque animalia infigit, infixa attrahit & devorat. Vid. Blasii ubi supra. P. 2. c. 24.