28G OKDKK RUMINANTIA: GF.NKUAL CIIAKA<"TKKS. 



first swallowing it, and to feed with comparative quickness. 

 They thus convey a store of food into the f'u^t stomach or paunch, 

 as the Monkey dors into its cheek-pouches ; and then, retiring to 

 a secluded place among their mountain fa-tue-ses, they masticate 

 their aliment in comparative security. Moreover, the macera- 

 tion (or soaking) iu the fluids of the first and second stomachs, 

 to which the food has heen subjected, causes it to he much more 

 readily ground down, than if it were triturated immediately on 

 being first cropped from the pasture. In this respect, there is a 

 remarkable analogy in the process of rumination to that of 

 digestion in the Fowls and other grain-eating IVirds fA.M.M. 

 I'nvsioL., 200); for their food is first swallowed, then mace- 

 rated in the fluids of the crop, and then triturated, before it is 

 submitted to the true digestive process, the onlv essential differ- 

 ence being, that this trituration is accomplished in a portion of 

 the stomach termed the gizzard, instead of between the jaws, 

 which in this class are destitute of teeth. This is only one of 

 I'lany remarkable analogies, which will be hereafter pointed out 

 between the order Rr.MiXANTi.v among Mammalia, and that of 

 UASORKS among Hirds. 



Joo'. 'flu: general structure of the Ruininantia is obviously 

 adapted to what has been just stated of their habits. Their 

 senses are extremely acute, and serve to indicate to them the 

 approach of danger, a-= well a-; to direct them in their choice of 

 food. Their ey. s are placed at the >ide of the head, rather than 

 in front ; and in this manner thev have a great range of vision, 

 which i- further extended by the /tnrhn/<i.lft/-u\ii\ form of the 

 pupil (A.MM. PIIVSIOL., ^.">.'M). M> that thev can see alnio>t as far 

 behind as before them. The cat's al-o are placed far hack, and 

 are ver\ movable ; so that thev can be turned to catch sounds in 

 anv direction. The >ense of Hiiell seems particuhirlv acute m 

 the>" animals, chiefly in con<c(juence of the prolongation of the 

 mu//lc, which allbi-(N a lai'ge surface for the distribution of the 

 olfactory iPT\e within the no.-e ; bv its means, they are warned 

 of the presence of an enemy at a considerable distance, especially 

 in the direction of the \\ind. so that the hunters oft< n find it 

 necessarv to approach them from the contrary quarti r. .A>- 



