ELEMENTAL Y ANA TOMY. 



[LESS. 



t\vo longitudinal series, each plate of which is placed trans- 

 versely to the long axis of the body, and all are very close 

 together. On depressing the lower lip the free outer edges 

 of these plates come into view. Their inner edges are pro- 

 vided with numerous coarse, hair-like processes, consisting 





FIG. 216. MOUTH OF A WHALE. 







of some of the constituent fibres of the horny plates which, 

 as it were, fray out, and the mouth is thus lined, except below, 

 with a network of countless fibres formed by the inner edges 

 of the two series of plates. This network acts as a sort of 

 sieve. When the whale feeds, it takes into its mouth a great 

 gulp of water, and drives it out again through the intervals 

 of the horny plates ; the fluid thus traverses the sieve of 

 horny fibres, which retain the minute creatures on which 

 these marine monsters subsist. 



In man a few hairs grow within the nostril. In the Rabbit 

 hairs grow on the inside of the cheek. 



