THE ANIMAL MACHINE 



17 



intestine, where the pancreatic juice and the bile finish 

 the conversion of the starches into soluble sugars and 

 split the fats into fatty acids and glycerin, respectively. 



21. Assimilation. Assimilation takes place chiefly 

 from the small intestine after digestion has been accom- 

 plished (Fig. 7), although some of the more indigestible 

 constituents of the ration, as the fiber, undergo a special 



FIG. 8. Side view of internal organs of mare. 1, scapula ; 2, humerus ; 

 3, ulna ; 4, radius ; 5, ribs ; 6, vertebral column ; 7, ilium ; 8, pubis ; 

 9, ischium; 10, femur; 11, tibia; a, heart; 6, pulmonary artery; 

 c, aorta ; d, stomach ; e, liver ; /, cut edge of diaphragm ; gg, hh, large 

 colon; i, small intestine; k, kidney; m, small colon; n, uterus; 

 o, rectum ; p, vagina ; r, urocyst or bladder ; s, anus ; t, vulva. 



fermentative disintegration in the large intestine, the diges- 

 tible portion being assimilated from there. In ruminants 

 the food is bolted and passed immediately to the rumen 

 or paunch, where the fiber undergoes some fermentative 

 changes, but it is later regurgitated to the mouth to be 

 masticated at leisure after the supply has been secured. 

 This is the familiar rumination or chewing of the cud, the 

 cud being simply a mass of food which has been swallowed 



