THE ANATOMY OF THE HORSE 63 



muscles of the gullet it is grasped and forced downward into 

 a tube, the muscular fibres of which act in such a manner 

 as to force it onward into the stomach. Here it is rolled 

 about and thoroughly mixed with the gastric and pepsine 

 juices which act upon it chemically, changing it into what is 

 known as chyme. From the stomach it passes up into the 

 front part of the small bowel, where it receives the secretions 

 from the liver and the pancreas. These also act chemically 

 upon the food, changing the chyme into what is called chyle. 

 By the action of little villi and lacteals situated in the coat- 

 ings of the bowels the chyle or nourishment is absorbed from 

 the food and carried into the veins which conduct it to the 

 heart. The heart forces it forward through the arteries into 

 the capillaries. These are minute hairlike tubes forming a 

 connecting link between the arteries and veins. They are 

 found in all parts of the body and it is through their thin 

 walls that the body receives nourishment for life and strength. 



