(53 RUMINATION. 



nearly resemble him in structure. But the truly philo- 

 sophical mind, whose object in the study of nature is 

 the attainment of general views, not insulated facts, will 

 not rest satisfied here, but will wish to contemplate this 

 wonderful function in the other orders of being that fill up 

 the great scale of animal existence. In the study of the 

 animal economy, nothing can be more interesting than 

 to trace the various changes which the functions of life 

 undergo, as we follow down the constantly varying forms 

 of organization, from the most perfect and complicated, 

 to the most simple and rudimentary, to see how some 

 new modification is continually occurring to correspond 

 with other peculiarities of structure, but still answering 

 the same ultimate purpose, to behold the organs stead- 

 ily diminishing in complexity, till at last they are one 

 alter another totally annihilated. 



Emily. Such general views of the vital functions 

 must certainly give us a worthier idea of the wonder 

 and glory of Nature's works, than to behold them in one 

 order of beings alone. After considering them as they 

 exist in the human structure, no one can help being 

 gratified at seeing how curiously they are varied, so as 

 to correspond with the varying structure and circumstan- 

 ces of the animal. 



Dr. B. In the quadrupeds, or mammiferous ani- 

 mals, as they are called by naturalists, the organs of di- 

 gestion very nearly resemble those of man. In one order, 

 however, the cloven-footed ai?!.nals, such as the ox, 

 deer, sheep, &,c. there is a curious modification of this 

 function, the design of which, or its relatton to the gene- 

 ral organization of the animals, is not very apparent. 

 They possess four stomachs, the first three of which 

 communicate directly with the oesophagus. After the 

 food has been partially chewed in the mouth, it is swal- 

 lowed and received into the first stomach. There it is 

 mixed with the fluids that are poured out abundantly 

 from its internal surface, and by this means, and proba- 



