RUMINANTIA. 51 



than the ass, of the general form of the quagga. Its color 

 is bay, with black stripes ; legs and tail white. 



The Ruminantia comprise all herbivora which mas- 

 ticate their food, which is wholly vegetable, the second 

 time. In accordance with this singular faculty, the 

 stomach, with few exceptions, is composed of four differ- 

 ent compartments, each having a special function. The 

 food, being hastily and partially chewed, is passed 'into 

 the largest stomach or paunch, and thence into the sec- 

 ond, called the honey-comb. This second stomach, small 

 and globular, seizes the food, moistens and compresses it 

 into little pellets, which afterwards ascend to the mouth 

 to be rechewed. The animal is at rest during this process, 

 which lasts until all the food first taken into the paunch 

 has been thus remasticated. The remasticated food de- 

 scends directly to the third stomach, called the leaflet ; 

 thence to the fourth, or caillette, which is the true organ 

 of digestion, analogous to the simple stomach of Mam- 

 mals generally. 



The feet of Ruminantia are terminated by two toes 

 and two hoofs, appearing like a single hoof which has 

 been cleft. Hence they are often called cloven-footed 

 animals. Behind the hoofs and higher up are generally 

 to be found two rudimentary toes. The two bones of the 

 metatarsus and metacarpus are generally united into one, 

 called the cannon. With few exceptions, the head of the 

 males, and in many cases of the females also, is armed 

 with horns. Excepting Camelidae, the Ruminantia have 

 no incisors in the upper jaw, but in nearly all cases eight 

 in the lower, which shut against a callous pad above. Be- 

 tween the incisors and the molars there is a vacant space, 

 which in some cases contains one or two canines. There 

 are six molars in each side of both jaws, which have their 

 flat crowns marked with two double crescents, the convex* 



