DOMESTICATED ANIMALS 



43 



chemicals and absorbs nourishment into the blood, 

 like the stomach and intestines. In the rat the 

 *' appendix" is as large as the stomach, and forms 

 a sort of second stomach, where the food pauses 

 and undergoes special treatment. But in man, for 

 some reason (maybe because of his adoption of 

 the erect position), this organ is of no use. Food 

 never enters it, except by accident; and it is so 



"APPENDIX" IN MAN, APE AND RAT 



weak and ill-nourished that it is the seat of fre- 

 quent disease. It is destined in time to pass away 

 entirely, like the legs of snakes and the claws on 

 the wings of birds. 



Other instances in man are the ear muscles, the 

 tail and tail muscles, the so-called "wisdom 

 teeth," and the general hairy covering of the 

 body. The eyes in cave fishes and in moles are 

 vestigial, because these animals live in darkness 

 where eyes are useless. They have eyes, but are 

 blind. The eyes are mere remnants. Horns in do- 

 mesticated cattle are vestigial. In wild cattle 

 horns are weapons of defense. And in a world of 



