INTERNAL ORGANS OF FOWLS 31 



it by the capillaries, and the other to secrete the bile, 

 an important digestive fluid. The liver must be kept 

 in a healthy condition or the blood, and consequently 

 the entire system, will speedily become poisoned. 



Gall Bladder. The gall bladder k serves as a reservoir 

 for the bile secreted by the liver, to which it is closely 

 attached. The bile is passed, as needed, from the gall 

 bladder to the intestines, where its special office is 

 to break up the vegetable fats and oils and convert them 

 into soluble animal fat, which is readily made a part oi 

 the fowl's body. 



Spleen. The spleen .s is located near the liver and is 

 an organ whose use is not definitely known. It is 

 thought, however,- that it is useful in producing certain 

 modifications in the blood. 



Pancreas. Situated among the folds of the small 

 intestines is the pancreas /, a small organ of insig- 

 nificant appearance. This organ is of vital importance, 

 for in it is secreted the pancreatic juice, which flows 

 from the pancreas into the intestines, where it acts 

 directly on the starchy portions of food, and to a 

 limited extent on protein; it also aids in the absorption 

 of fat. The juice from the pancreas unites with the bile 

 and they together flow over the foods as they come from 

 the gizzard. 



Heart and Lungs. The heart in and the lungs n are 

 vital organs. The work done by the latter, like that 

 of the liver, consists in purifying the blood. The office 

 of the heart, as is well known, is to pump the blood 

 to all parts of the body. The heart, lungs, and liver may 

 be considered as the most important organs of the body, 

 and care should be taken to keep them in good working 

 order, for when the action of one of these organs is 

 faulty, the effect is soon apparent on the others. The air 

 is supplied to the lungs through the windpipe w. 



Kidneys. The kidneys o are located in cavities in 

 the pelvic bone. They act on the blood and separate 

 from it liquid waste material, which is eventually passed 

 from the body through the vent. 



