DIGESTION OF INFERIOR ANIMALS. 69 



bly by the motions of the organ itself, it is softened, di- 

 vided and formed into little pellets.* By the contrac- 

 tions of the stomach, these are made to ascend the oeso- 

 phagus to the mouth, where they undergo a second and 

 more thorough mastication. Thence it is carried di- 

 rectly to the second stomach, where it experiences some 

 further changes, the nature of which is not exactly known, 

 and then passes on into the third and fourth stomach. 



Emily. I have frequently observed cows chewing 

 their cud, when they seemed to be in quite a compla- 

 cent, meditative mood. 



Dr. B. It is from this appearance of meditation 

 which they exhibit while chewing the cud, that they 



have derived the name of ruminating animals. In 



Birds we noticed a curious peculiarity in the form of 

 the stomach, by which it is endowed with great strength 

 and powers of trituration. But this is not the only pecu- 

 liarity which they possess in their digestive organs. In 

 those which live on grain and other hard substances, 

 there is a membranous sac in the neck communicating 

 with the oesophagus, called the crop, or craw. Into this 

 receptacle the food is conveyed, and softened by the 

 fluids secreted from the glands with which it is furnished 

 thence it is carried to the stomach. In some of the 

 carnivorous birds, this sac seems to be merely a dilata- 

 tion of the oesophagus, and serves as a reservoir in which 

 they carry their food when not immediately required. 



In the Reptiles and Fishes, there is nothing particu- 

 larly remarkable in the structure of their digestive or- 

 gans. They are fitted, in most of these animals, to di- 

 gest flesh, and the constitutional sluggishness of the for- 

 mer enables them to abstain from food for a considera- 

 ble time. Some of the turtles go months and even 



* The author has preferred to follow Toggia's account of rumina- 

 tion opposed as it is to (hat of Blumenbach, Curvier, &c. and not yet 

 perhaps generally adopted because it appears to be the most philo- 

 sophical explanation of this process, and the best supported by facts, 



