The Digestive System. 49 



squeezing process by which excess of water, which might 

 unduly dilute the digesting fluids of the true (fourth) 

 stomach, is forced out. 



The process of rumination. After the food has been 

 chewed (masticated) for the first time, it passes down 

 into the paunch and honeycomb, while fluids and finely 

 chewed particles go on to the manyplies and even to the 

 true stomach. The openings between the second and third 

 compartments is small. Food in the paunch and honey- 

 comb is slowly churned and thus thoroughly mixed with 

 saliva, mucus and water, thus being rendered fit for the 

 second chewing; probably the starchy matters of the food 

 are changed to sugar, the right conditions, temperature 

 and moisture being present in these organs. The com- 

 partment from which the food enters the gullet is not 

 certain; from the construction of the parts it is likely 

 from the honeycomb. * As soon as the bolus of food 

 re-enters the mouth a sound is heard which indicates 

 the downward passage of the fluid which lubricated its 

 upward passage; in cattle the various movements in the 

 gullet can be seen along its course down the neck. The 

 necessity of an abundant supply of water or watery food 

 is at once understood when the act of rumination is 

 studied. It has been calculated that about seven hours 

 are necessary for rumination, hence continual activity or 

 work are not favorable to the ruminating process. The 

 position assumed by the ruminant when resting is char- 

 acteristic. The saliva is essential to the chewing of the 



1 As a result of postmortems made by the author, this view is held to 

 be correct, judged mainly from the character of the contents of the gullet 

 and honeycomb at the time of death, the gullet generally being found full 

 of chewed material. 



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