A systeme of anatomy, treating of the body of man, beasts, birds, fish, insects, and plants illustrated with many schemes, consisting of variety of elegant figures, drawn from the life, and engraven in seventy four folio copper-plates. And after every part of man's body hath been anatomically described, its diseases, cases, and cures are concisely exhibited. The first volume containing the parts of the lowest apartiments of the body of man and other animals, etc. / by Samuel Collins ...

CHAP. XLVII. Of the Wind-pipe of Birds.

THE Wind-pipe of a Swan is adorned with an admirable Fabrick, and being an associate of the Gulet, passeth all along the Neck, till it ariveth the Sternon, into whose Capsula it insinuateth it self, with a crook∣ed posture, in which it is lodged as in a safe Repository, and descending to the bottom of this Cavity, it is reflected upward, and creeping out through a narrow passage of the Sternon, climbeth up to the middle of the Clavicle leaning upon the Trachaea, as a prop when it bendeth toward the Thorax; and before it cometh to the Breast, and the Lungs contained in it, it seem∣eth to form a kind of Larynx with the Os Hyoides, clothed with a broad Mem∣brane; and is like a Musical Pipe, as being more broad above and narrow be∣low, and endued with a small Fissure; under this Larynx, made after a man∣ner with the Os Hyoides, before the Aspera Arteria entreth the Lungs, it is divided into Two Branches (not unlike to Bronchia of other Animals) which grow more narrow as they approach the Lungs, and differ from a humane Wind-pipe, which hath no Divarication till it entreth into the substance of the Lungs; so that this curious structure of the Wind-pipe is highly advantage∣ous for Respiration, while the Swan endeavoureth to support it self by search∣ing out Aliment in the bottom of Rivers, Lakes, and Ponds, wherein this large Bird stayeth a good space of time, with Head and Neck immersed in∣to the shallow water, and Feet turned upward toward the Sky, in which posture, all reception of Air is intercepted, but what it draweth out of the Capsula of the Sternon as a Cistern of Breath, with which it is maintained du∣ring the time of its Head and Neck are under water.

The Trachaea of a Crane maketh a direct progress to the Right Side of the the Sternon, into whose Right Tube it is insinuated, * 1.1 which is endued with di∣vers Circumvolutions, till it find a passage toward the Left Tube, while the Trachaea tendeth toward the Lungs, making a kind of Larynx with the Os Hyoides, as hath been described above in the History of the Wind-pipe rela∣ting to a Swan.

The Aspera Arteria of a Crane passeth through the Sternon, in various Me∣anders, by reason the Sternon in this Bird is not endued with one single Cavity, as in a Swan (made for the long recourse of the Trachaea) but is wreathed in∣to many Flexures, in which the Wind-pipe sporteth it self up and down in many circumvolutions, resembling the Gyres of a moving Serpent, as Learn∣ed Bartholine hath given a most ingenious account, Hist. 12. Cent. 4. speaking of the Sternon and Trachaea of a Crane. Sternum psum non simplici Cavitate prae∣ditum erat, uti in Cygno notavimus, ad Asperae Arteriae oblongum recursum, sed variis ambagibus intus patebat velut labarintheis flexibus, per quos incurvato ductu Serpentis instar, Arteria sursum deorsumque ferebatur, jucundo plane & admirando spectaculo.

The Aspera Arteria of a Parrot is contrived with great Artifice, the Head, * 1.2 or Larynx consisteth of divers Cartilages, as the Hypomoclia of various moti∣ons relating to divers pair of curious Muscles, made for different Dilatations, and Contractions of the Rimula, in order to form variety of sounds, somewhat resembling the Articulations of humane voice.

The Trachaea of this pratling Bird, is adorned with many annular Carti∣lages,

which are not perfectly circular; and the Anterior and posterior part of them, are alternately broader and narrower, and are beautified, not with a Circular, but Oval Figure.

About the lower end, where the Wind-pipe is Divaricated, is placed a Cartilage (decked with an elegant Figure) which seemeth to be entirely one, but is made up of Three Cartilages, of which the upper doth resemble a piece of a hollow Cone cut off, and its Base doth emit Processes on each side, ending into Apexes, resembling those of Quills; and the intermediate space interceding the Apexes, is Semi-circular, to which on each side a Car∣tilage is annexed, endued with a Parabolical Figure, where it is conjoyned to the upper side; but in the opposite side, it hath as it were Two Horns, and between them a Right Line, as Ligerus Jacobaeus hath observed.

A Heron hath a Trachaea very wonderful in Structure, whose Head is com∣posed of Three Bones, * 1.3 or rather Cartilages (filled up with Muscles, the En∣gine of various motions) of which the lowermost is affixed to the uppermost Ring of the Aspera Arteria, by the interposition of a firm Membrane; The up∣permost Cartilages seated on each side, being of a Triangular Figure, do be∣long to the Palate, and are hollowed outwardly with a Sinus, replenished with Muscles, and endued inwardly with an eminent Process, straightening the Cavity of the Wind-pipe, and these higher bones of the Larynx are con∣nected to the lowest, by the help of the Membrane, inwardly investing the Aspera Arteria, and conjoyning all the annular Cartilages: At the termination of these Bones, where the Rings are united, is seated a jagged Fringe, about whose middle many Glands are seated.

The Larynx relating to an Eagle is encircled with a strong Buckler Carti∣lage, * 1.4 and is made up of perfect Cartilaginous circles, and the annular Car∣tilages besetting the other part of the Trachaea, do terminate into membra∣nous Expansions adjoyning the Gulet, to give way to it, when distended in Deglutition with great gobbets of Aliment.

The upper part or Head of the Aspera Arteria in a Peacock, is furnished with two Muscles, * 1.5 on each side one; and the Trachaea, beset with annular Cartilages, hath a peculiar Fabrick, because, after it is entred into the sub∣stance of the Lungs, and maketh a Divarication of Branches, those of one side have larger Dimensions then the other, in reference to their annular Carti∣lages, and emit a Membrane, through which the inspired Air may be transmit∣ted through the Interstices of the Cartilaginous Rings, into the Cavity of the Membranes.

The Trachaea of a Pidgeon, hath the Rimula of the Larynx beset with many White Processes, * 1.6 as so many Glands, and the Wind-pipe doth not take its progress all along the Neck, resting upon the Gulet, as in most Animals, but seemeth to be lodged on its Right side, and sometimes at a distance from it; and near the Heart, the Aspera Arteria is divided into Two Branches, which being transmitted into the substance of the Lungs, are not subdivided into more Ramulets; so that the First Divarication of Branches, do terminate into the Perforations of the Lungs.

The Rimula belonging to the Larynx of a Duck, is dressed with many white protuberances, * 1.7 as so many Glands, and each side of the Trachaea is furnished with a small long Muscle, running from the Fauces to the top of the Thorax, and about the termination of the Muscles, the Aspera Arteria obtaineth a kind of bony Nature, and greater dimensions, as a large pipe of Air, and is divided into two Branches, which afterward grow Membranous; and all the Cartila∣ginous Rings are parted before and behind, with a Membranous Line or In∣terstice, which rendreth the circles of the Cartilages imperfect.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Trachaea of a Cran••.
• * 1.2

  The Trachaea of a Parrot.
• * 1.3

  The Wind-pipe of a He∣ron.
• * 1.4

  The Trachaea of an Eagle.
• * 1.5

  The Aspera Arteria of a Peacock.
• * 1.6

  The Wind-pipe of a Pidgeon.
• * 1.7

  The Trachaea of a Duck.