Mammalia. 



2 55 



Jobes. From the ventral surface of the brain the spinal 

 bulb arises, and continues into the spinal column as the 

 spinal cord. From the brain arise twelve pairs of cranial 

 nerves, and from the spinal cord a series of paired spinal 

 nerves which supply the body. 



The Senses of the Rabbit. Sight and hearing are es- 

 pecially well developed. The eyes are prominently placed 

 on the sides of the head, so that the rabbit can see an enemy 

 approach from any direction. The ears are long, and can 

 be moved by muscles so as to turn in any direction to catch 

 the sound. Rabbits may not unfrequently be seen to sit 

 erect and prick up the ears as if suspicious of danger. 

 When at rest in concealment, the ears are laid flat on the 

 back. The sense of smell seems well developed. The nos- 

 trils are longitudinal slits at the end of the nose, and between 

 them is a cleft, from which fact we borrow the term " hare- 

 lip." This arrangement apparently gives greater mobility 

 to the lips in feeding, and in sniffing there is considerable 

 range of movement of the upper lip and nostrils. Taste 

 also appears to be fairly keen, judging by the rabbit's dis- 

 crimination in choice of foods. Microscopic examination 

 of the tongue shows essentially the same taste organs and 

 nerve supply as in our tongues. The sense of touch ap- 

 pears to be distributed all over the body, though prob- 

 ably more keen about the nose, especially through the long, 

 stiff hairs which we commonly call the "whiskers." 



