COMPARATIVE DIGESTION. 121 



ing the process well known under the name of rumina- 

 tion or chewing the cud. 



After the mass thus elevated, has been well ground 

 by the molares, it is again swallowed and passed 

 into No. 3, or the third stomach, the orifice of which is 

 brought forward to receive it by the action of peculiar 

 muscles, at the same time the mouths of the two other 

 stomachs being closed to prevent its admission. 



The food is now prepared for digestion, and accord- 

 ingly passes into the fourth stomach, when, being mixed 

 with the gastric juice it is converted into chyle, which 

 passing into the circulation, becomes the nutriment of 

 the animal. Who can examine such mechanism with- 

 out feeling astonishment and awe ; and without seeing 

 wisdom and design ? 



In the calf, the milk is conveyed directly from the 

 esophagus to the fourth stomach, where it is coagulated 

 by the gastric liquor, and then assimilated into nutri- 

 ment. It is this stomach of the young animal which 

 forms the substance called rennet, and which, in conse- 

 quence of the gastric juice it contains is universally 

 employed to coagulate the milk for the formation of 

 cheese. 



Relation between the Horns and Stomach. That 

 there should exist any connection between the horns of 

 an animal, and its stomach; or that the absence, or 

 presence of the former should indicate any thing in 

 reference of the latter, is what no one could have 

 suspected ; and yet, Sir E. Home has shown that rumi- 

 nants with horns, as the Cow, and Sheep, and Goat are 

 universally furnished with four stomachs ; two for pre- 

 paring the food, one for rumination, and one for diges- 

 tion, as already explained ; while those without horns, 

 as the Camel, Lama, and Rabbit, have only one prepar- 

 atory stomach before rumination, which answers the 

 purpose of the two, in the horned animals. Why such 

 a difference should exist in animals so nearly allied in 

 general structure and habits, is one of the mysteries of 

 nature. 



Water cells in the Stomach of the Camel. There is 

 11 



