NATURAL THEOLOGY. 157 



the stomach, (of course the lateral pressure on the cells 

 will be greater,) the more water will be forced from 

 the purses or cells, and more is required to moisten 

 the quantity of dry food. The mouths of the cells are 

 too sensible of excitement, to admit any coarser nu- 

 triment than water. The fodder is never found in 

 the cells unless the animal has been much tumbled 

 after death, which readily accounts for the possibility 

 of taking pure water from the stomach of the camel 

 thirty days after the water is taken in. Their food 

 once masticated and swallowed, is returned to the 

 mouth, and there broken finer ; its weight being in- 

 creased by diminution of bulk, it easily passes by the 

 coarser and lighter food into the stomach, and is 

 pressed into the intestine for further digestion. 



The ox is a still more curious instance of the di- 

 versity which Providence has kindly introduced in 

 the structure of the stomach. This animal, and seve- 

 ral other species of quadrupeds, have four stomachs, 

 and are enabled in consequence to perform the singular 

 process of rumination, or, as it is called, chewing the 

 cud. It consists in repeating their mastication at a 

 considerable interval after eating. These animals are 

 deficient in upper front teeth ; this circumstance, to- 

 gether with that of the peculiar toughness of the fib- 

 rous substances on which they live, and the great 

 quantity they have to gather of such light and un- 

 nutritious food, render it a most happy provision by 

 which the goodness of Providence has distinguished 

 them, that they are able to collect their nourishment, 

 o 



