THE MAMMALS 



the food when first swallowed, and later regurgitates it into 

 the mouth where it is thoroughly chewed at leisure. 

 Watch a herd of cattle when they are standing quietly 

 after feeding and you will probably see them engaged in 

 the satisfying operation of ruminating. We use the 

 term ruminate in a figurative sense signifying to ponder 

 quietly over any subject, but though cattle look as if 



PIG. 173.^ American bison and calf. (After Allen.) 



they might be engaged in solemn reflective thought it is 

 reasonably certain that the appearance is quite deceptive. 

 Most ruminants are provided with horns which may be 

 either hollow and fitted over a permanent bony core, as 

 in the ox family, or Bovidae; or solid, as in the deer 

 family, or Cervidae. The solid horns, or antlers, are 

 generally shed annually, breaking off at the base. While 



