X. INTRODUCTION. 



gizzard, or true stomach, consisting of two very strong mus- 

 cles, covered externally with a tendinous substance, and 

 lined with a thick membrane of prodigious power and 

 strength: in this place the food is completely triturated, and 

 rendered fit for the operation of the gastric juices. The ex- 

 traordinary powers of the gizzard in comminuting the food, 

 so as to prepare it for digestion, would exceed all credibility, 

 were they not supported by incontrovertible facts founded 

 upon experiments. In order to ascertain the strength of 

 these stomachs, the ingenious Spalanzani made the follow- 

 ing curious and very interesting experiments: Tin tubes, 

 full of grain, were forced into the stomachs of Turkeys, and 

 after remaining twenty hours, were found to be broken, 

 compressed, and distorted in the most irregular manner.* 

 In proceeding further, the same author relates, that the 

 stomach of a Cock, in the space of twenty-four hours, broke 

 off the angles of a piece of rough jagged glass, and upon 

 examining the gizzard no wound or laceration appeared. 

 Twelve strong needles were firmly fixed in a ball of lead, 

 the points of which projected about a quarter of an inch 

 from the surface; thus armed, it was covered with a case of 

 paper, and forced down the throat of a Turkey; the bird 

 retained it a day and a half, without showing the least symp- 

 tom of uneasiness; the points of all the needles were broken 

 off close to the surface of the ball, except two or three, of 

 which the stumps projected a little. The same author re- 

 lates another experiment, seemingly still more cruel : he 

 fixed twelve small lancets, very sharp, in a similar ball of 

 lead, which was given in the same manner to a Turkey-cock, 

 and left eight hours in the stomach; at the expiration of 

 which the organ was opened, but nothing appeared except 

 the naked ball, the twelve lancets having been broken to 

 pieces, the stomach remaining perfectly sound and entire. 

 From these curious and well-attested facts, we may conclude, 



* Spalanzani's Dissertations, vol. i, page 12. 



