APPENDIX. 



DESCRIPTION OE THE ORGANS OE DIGESTION IN 



THE OX. 



(Esophagus, or Gullet. — This tube extends from the mouth 

 to the stomach, and is the medium through which the food 

 is conveyed to the latter organ ; this tube is furnished with 

 spiral muscles, which run in different directions. By this 

 arrangement, the food can ascend or descend at the pleas- 

 ure of the animal. The inner coat of the gullet is a con- 

 tinuation of the same membrane that lines the mouth, &c. 

 The gullet passes down the neck, on the left of the wind- 

 pipe, until it reaches the diaphragm, through which it passes, 

 and terminates in the stomach. The food, having undergone 

 a slight mastication by the action of the teeth, is formed into 

 a pellet, and, being moistened by the saliva, passes down the 

 gullet, by the action of the muscles, and falls immediately 

 into the paunch, or rumen : here the food undergoes a process 

 of maceration, or trituration. The food, after remaining in 

 this stomach some time, and the whole mass having been 

 submitted to the action of heat and moisture, passes into 

 another division of the stomach, called the reticulum, the 

 inner surface of which abounds in cells ; at the bottom and 

 in all parts of them, there are glands which secrete from the 

 blood, and furnish for the use of this portion of the stomach, 

 a quantity of mucus. This stomach possesses properties 

 similar to those of the bladder and stomach of the horse, viz., 

 that of contracting upon its contents. In the act of con- 

 tracting, it squeezes out a portion of the semi-masticated food 

 which comes within the reach of the ascending spiral mus- 

 cles, is embraced by them, and thus ascends the gullet, and 

 passes into the mouth for remastication. The second stomach 



