292 CAfTLE. 



and numerous little prominences, which can be seen in the inflated 

 stomach of a young ruminant wlien exposed to the light, are best 

 accounted for by considering them as glandular bodies. 



There are two openings into the rumen ; the one already spoken of, 

 at the base of the oesophagus, and through which the substances 

 gathered at the first cropping of the food, and perhaps all solids, fall, 

 and a considerable proportion of the liquids are swallowed. The other 

 opening is below this. It is larger and alwaj's open ; it communicates 

 with the second stomach ; but there is a semilunar fold of the rumen, 

 that runs obliquely across it, and acts as a valve, so that nothing can 

 pass from the first into the second stomach, except by some forcible 

 effort ; and it is very seldom that anything is returned from the 

 rumen directly into the oesophagus. 



Considering the size of the paunch, it has very few blood-vessels ; 

 in fact, it has not much to do except macerating the food. The 

 arteries are supplied by the splenics, which are of very great size in 

 ruminants. The nerves are given out by the coeliac plexus. 



d. 'ihe reticulum, or second stomach. The cuticular coat here 

 covers a very irregular surface, consisting of cells, shallower and 

 wider than those of a honey-comb, but very much resembling them ; 

 hence this stomach is sometimes called the honey-comh. Each of 

 these divisions contains several smaller ones ; and at the base and 

 along the sides of each are found numerous minute prominences, or 

 papillae, which are evidently secreting glands. 



There are two openings into the stomach ; one through the floor 

 of the oesophagean canal, one of the pillars of which is formed of a 

 duplicature of the coats of the lesser curvature of the reticulum. 

 The other is that already described, between this stomach and the 

 rumen. 



The muscular coat of this stomach is thick and powerful, but the 

 blood-vessels are not numerous, for it w.T hereafter appear that its 

 functions are very simple. The arteries and nerves of the reticulum 

 are derived fi om the same source as those of the rumen. 



€. The rnonyplus, or third stomach. The internal structure of this 

 stomach is very singular. The oesophagean canal changes its form 

 and character at the commencement of the manyplus ; and the fleshy 

 pillars, of which mention has been so often made, unite, forming a 

 kind of obtuse angle. The floor of the canal is now perfect, and 

 nothing can any longer fall into the stomachs beneath. A small 

 circular aperture alone is left between them, which conducts to the 

 third stomach, the floor of which is closed, but the roof is constructed 

 in a remarkable way. 'Wie whole of the stomach contributes to form 

 this roof; and from it there descend numerous duplicatures of the 

 cuticular coat, each duplicature containing within it cellular tissue, 

 blood-vessels, and a thin but powerful layer of muscles. They are 

 formed into groups. A long duplicature, resembling a leaf or cur- 



