224. HISTORY OF 



with the heat of the situation, it dilates the sto- 

 machs, and these again contract upon their con- 

 tents. The aliment, thus squeezed, has but two 

 passages to escape at ; one into the third stomach, 

 which is very narrow ; and the other back, by 

 the gullet, into the mouth, which is wider. The 

 greatest quantity, therefore, is driven back through 

 the largest aperture into the mouth to be chewed 

 a second time ; while a small part, and that only 

 the most liquid, is driven into the third stomach, 

 through the orifice which is so small. The food 

 which is driven to the mouth, and chewed a se- 

 cond time, is thus rendered more soft and moist, 

 and becomes at last liquid enough to pass into 

 the conduit that goes to the third stomach, where 

 it undergoes a still farther comminution. In this 

 stomach, which is called the manyfold, from the 

 number of its leaves, all which tend to promote 

 digestion, the grass has the appearance of boiled 

 spinach, but not yet sufficiently reduced so as to 

 make a part of the animal's nourishment ; it re- 

 quires the operation of the fourth stomach for 

 this purpose, where it undergoes a complete ma- 

 ceration, and is separated to be turned into chyle. 

 But nature has not been less careful in another 

 respect, in fitting the intestines of these animals 

 for their food. In the carnivorous kinds they are 

 thin and lean ; but in ruminating animals they 

 are strong, fleshy, and well covered with fat. 

 Every precaution seems taken that can help their 

 digestion : their stomach is strong and muscular, 

 the more readily to act upon its contents ; their 

 intestines are lined with fat, the better to preserve 



