TASTE OP THE INFERIOR ANIMALS. 173 



exercised, the mouth must be constantly supplied with 

 saliva, and the other secreted fluids. In fevers and oth- 

 er diseases in which the secretions are changed, this 

 sense is always imperfect and vitiated. Placed thus at 

 the entrance of the alimentary canal, all our food is first 

 subjected to its scrutiny, before it is conveyed to the 

 digestive organs. No sense has been made to vary so 

 much by the refinements of social life, as that of Taste. 

 The taste of wild animals and of savage man, is the same 

 in all individuals of the same species they all probably, 

 like or dislike the same food. But among civilized men, 

 no two individuals can be found alike in all their tastes ; 

 and so general and well understood is this diversity, that 

 one would as soon think of disputing another's conscience, 

 as his taste. 



This sense may be considerably improved in acute- 

 ness, by long training. Those whose business requires 

 them to judge of the qualities of objects by their taste, 

 acquire in time a nicety of this sense, which is incon- 

 ceivable to others. The acuteness of taste in different 

 persons, varies according to the sapid bodies themselves : 

 some, very readily tasting what others do not. 



Emily. This fact, I recollect is very pleasantly illus- 

 trated in Don Quixote, by the story of two wiseacres 

 who were tasting wine. One thought the wine tasted 

 a little of leather ; the other was very confident, that 

 he tasted iron. The wine was at last drank up, when 

 looking into the vessel, lo ! there was found an iron key 

 with a leathern thong attached to it. 



Dr. B. The taste grows imperfect in the Birds, be- 

 comes still more so in the Reptiles, and is entirely want- 

 ing in the Fishes, and other animals. 



Emily. How is this fact known in regard to Fishes ? 



Dr. B. It is inferred from the structure of their 



mouth, and from the indiscriminate manner in which 



they swallow any thing that has the appearance of prey. 



A mackerel will swallow a piece of red flannel, with as 



15* 



