Chap. 3 1.] Digeftion ofjleeping Animals, &c. 327 



k(5led, that grafs is more difficultly afllmilated than 

 grain, and grain than flefh. 



The firft flomach in ruminant animals, fuch as 

 the bul3, the fheep, &c. is a receptacle which has a 

 very weak aclion on the food, and from it the ani- 

 mal has the power of returning the food into the 

 mouth, to undergo a fccond maftication. In Mr. 

 Hunter's paper on Digeftion, .publilhed by the Royal 

 Society, there is the following curious obfervation, 

 which iliuftrates very much the ufe of thefe previous 

 ftomachs : milk fucked in by the calf does not remain 

 in any of the previous ftomachs, but paries down in- 

 ftantly into the digefting ftpmach, not requiring any 

 previous operation j but grafs remains for a length of 

 time in the previous ftomachs. 



I fit is allowable to extend our views beyond the 

 animal kingdom, we might fancy that the digeftive 

 procefs in vegetables is ftill more difficult than it is 

 in the graminivorous animals, fince vegetables are 

 continually taking in nourifhment, and confume an 

 immenfe quantity of air and water in proportion to 

 their growth and bulk. When vegerables, howe- 

 ver, are furniihed with matter which has undergone 

 more preparation than mere air and water, viz. pu- 

 trified vegetable matter, their growth is far more rapid ; 

 and they flouriih ftill more on the remains of the ani- 

 mal kingdom. 



Sleeping animals do not digeft during winter. 

 Worms and pieces of meat were conveyed down 

 the throats of lizards, which were going into winter 

 quarters, and which were afterwards kept in a cool 

 place. On opening the animals at different periods/ 

 the fubftances were found entire and without altera- 

 tion. Some of the lizards voided them in the fpring 

 >vith little or no alteration produced in them. Di- 

 Y 4 geftion 



