536 



RUMTNANTIA. 



marked constrictions, corresponding to folds 

 of the lining mucous membrane ; and thus 

 subdivided, the viscus resembles, as it were, 



an enormously distended coil of intestine bent 

 into the figure of an italic S. In the typical 

 species the internal surface is densely beset 

 359. 



Composite stomach of the Sheep. 



with villi ; these give to the membrane a pe- 

 culiarly rough aspect, and at different portions 

 of the cavity their form is curiously modified. 

 Usually they are remarkably prominent, pe- 

 dunculated, more or less club-shaped and 

 compressed ; or they may be tapering and 

 pyriform. In some localities their size is 

 insignificant, and they almost disappear at 

 the margins of the salient folds. In the Gi- 

 raffe we find their dimensions strikingly uni- 

 form at one spot, while, in another region 

 great irregularity in this respect is observable ; 

 the same remark holds good in other horned 

 species, where the deviations from this type 

 are too slight to merit a separate notice. 



The organisation of the paunch in the 

 Camelidae differs very materially from that 

 of the ordinary ruminant. Instead of 

 presenting a rouh internal surface, crowded 

 with viliosities, the mucous membrane is 

 conspicuously smooth and entirely destitute 

 of villi ; but the most remarkable feature 

 consists in the presence of numerous small 

 pouches, specially fitted for the reception 

 and retention of water (fig. 360.). These 



Fig. 360. 



l>'. tier-cells in the pinnch of the Camel. 



sacs, which may be looked upon as so many 

 diverticula developed from the walls of the 

 cavity, are arranged in two distinct groups 

 one on the right side and the other on the 

 left ; the former being by far the larger, and 

 in the adult Dromedary measuring about one 

 foot and a half in length, and six inches in 

 breadth (Meckel). The cells of each batch 

 are disposed in parallel rows, separated from 

 one another by strong muscular bundles, given 

 off from a single large band of fibres which 

 commences at the cardiac extremity of the 

 rumen, and proceeds in a longitudinal direc- 

 tion, dividing the entire cavity into two com- 

 partments. The muscular fasictili are arranged 

 transversely, and give off secondary bundles 

 at tolerably regular intervals, so that the 

 rounded orifices of each sacculus are guarded 

 by powerful square-shaped muscular sphinc- 

 ters. Some of the cells are more complicated 

 than others, being subdivided into numerous 

 loculi by folds of the lining membrane. The 

 largest of the reservoirs in the adult Drome- 

 dary, when dilated, have a depth and width 

 of about three inches. In the Llamas the 

 structure of this apparatus, though more 

 feebly indicated, is very similar to that of the 

 Camels, properly so called. 



The second stomachal viscus (c,Jig. 359), 

 otherwise called the rcticuluni bonnet, or 

 walcr-bag has a globular outline, is of 

 much smaller dimensions than the paunch, 

 and forms a sort of cul-de-sac between it 

 and the third cavity. It originates in com- 

 mon with the rumen, and like that organ 

 may be regarded as a kind of hernial dilata- 

 tion of the lower end of the oesophagus. By 

 some it has been looked upon as a mere ap- 

 pendage to the former, being continuous with 

 it at the upper and anterior part, and sepa- 

 rated only by a projecting membranous fold, 

 precisely similar to those met with in the 

 first cavity. In the typical species it is dis- 

 tinguished internally by the presence of a 

 multitude of acute-angled polygonal cells, 

 and from this circumstance has been vulgarly 



