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THE farmers' cabinet. 



VOL. I. 



the strength of the horn, and, at the same 

 time, enlarges the interior surface, and gives 

 greater expansion to the part next to be no- 

 ticed. 



4. The interna, periosteum, or seromucous 

 membrane, which lines every part of the 

 cavity of the bone. Rising over the par- 

 titions and dipping into the intervening cells, 

 it presents a surface many times greater than 

 would line a simple cavity of the same size. 



By carrying the examination to the root 

 of the horn, the cavity is found to extend in ' 

 that direction, and to communicate with other 

 cavities formed in the bones of the skull | 

 and face. These cavities occupy the ridge [ 

 between the horns, pass down on the right 

 and left of the brain, and finally communicate 

 with the nose at its upper part. Like those! 

 of tlie horns, the cavities of the skull arej 

 rendered extremely irregular, by projecting! 

 bony plates, and are lined by a continuation 

 of the same sero-mucous membrane. This 

 structure can be effectually brought into view 

 by sawing off the outside plate of the face 

 of the skull. 



Having traced the cells of the horn and 

 skull to their communication with the nose, 

 I will now commence at the nostril, and 

 examine the nasal structure — constituting 

 the organs of smell. If the head of an ox 

 be sawed through longitudinally, from the 

 nose to the middle of the forehead, so as 

 just to escape \\\e septum or division between 

 the nostrils, the cavities of the nose, on one 

 side, will be brought into view. Within 

 the nose, on the outer side, is a projecting 

 body composed of a thin plate of bone, cu- 

 riously rolled upon itself, and, in the fresh 

 subject, covered with the delicate membrane 

 which lines every 'part of the nasal cavity. 

 This part is called the inferior turbinated 

 bone. The manner in which it is rolled up 

 is admirably adapted to present a large sur- 

 face in little space. A little higher, we meet 

 with another projecting bony plate, which is 

 even more curiously rolled up than the former 

 one. It is called i\\e superior turbinated bone. 

 When united with its fellows of the opposite 

 side it constitutes the ethmoid bone. Between 

 the turbinated honee there is a large aperture, 

 into a still larger cavity of the upper jaw, 

 called the maxillary sinus. At the upper 

 and exterior edge £)f the ethmoid bone, is 

 the opening into the cavities of the skull 

 bones, already described. By tracing these 

 cavities, it therefore appears, that the inter- 

 nal opening of the nose extends into the up- 

 per bones of the skull, and from thence into 

 the horns. This fact I wish to impress 

 strongly on the minds of my readers. The 

 hollow in the horn is a part nf the cavity of the 

 nose, and lined by a continuation of the la'ne 

 /itembrane. 



The ethmoid bone, occupying a central 

 position in the upper part of the nose, next 

 the brain, has a broad plate, which forms a 

 portion of the floor of the brain-pan. It is 

 pierced with a great number of small holes, 

 like a sieve, and thence called the cribriform 

 plate, or a sieve-like portion of the ethmoid. 

 Through the openings in the plate, pass the 

 branches of the olfactory nerve, or proper 

 nerve of the sense of smell. 



The whole of this vast and irregular 

 cavity, extending from the nostril to near 

 the extremity of the horn, may, collectively, 

 be considered the organ of smell. It is 

 lined throughout by the same sero-mucous 

 membrane — and the same economy is ob- 

 served, viz. an increase of its secreting sur- 

 face. But there is reason to believe that all 

 the parts of this structure do not perform 

 similar functions. The olfactory nerve, after 

 its passage through the cribriform plate, ap- 

 pears to be distributed, chiefly, on the two 

 turbinated bones, and the parts in their vi- 

 cinity. It is not believed that they- extend 

 into the upper cavities of the head and horns. 

 Particles of odoriferous substances separate 

 and float in the air, which, when inhaled into 

 the nose, come in contact with the sentient 

 extremities of the olfactory nerves, and thus 

 produce the sensation of smell. The position 

 of the turbinated bones, standing in bold re- 

 lief in the passage of the inhaled air, and 

 presenting so large a surface, seems admira- 

 bly adapted to receive the impression of any 

 odorous matter which it may contain. 



But the perfection of the sense of smell 

 depends upon a particular state of lubricity 

 of the organs. In a natural state, their sur- 

 faces are constantly bedewed with a sero- 

 mucous secretion of their own vessels. If 

 the surfaces become too dry, the odorous 

 particles will not adhere sufficiently to make 

 the proper impression. If they are too moist, 

 the odorous matter will be washed away too 

 soon. If the secretion is too thick and ad- 

 hesive, the surfaces will be covered 8o 

 thickly as to prevent the contact altogether. 

 It is probable that the upper cavities assist 

 in preserving this healthy state of the nasal , 

 passages by their secretions. This conclu-/ 

 sion is strengthened, by considering that 

 there does not appear to be any inean.'i 

 whereby the animal can introdjice the aij 

 into the upjier passages, and remove it 

 pleasure. 



III. Such as consist of a bony stem, 

 pedicle, surmounted with a convex knob, ai 

 covered with the common skin. On the kpc 

 are a number of short, still', horny brisljs. 

 They belong to the cameleopard. ^ 



IV. iSuch as are composed of solid, nae4 

 bone. They are found in the deer fanrly* 

 A remarkable prciiliarity of this sort of brn* 



