XI PHENOMENA OF ORGANIC NATURE 313 



backbone ; and to this spinal cord are attached a 

 number of fibres termed nerves, which proceed to 

 all parts of the structure. By means of these the 

 eyes, nose, tongue, and skin all the organs of per- 

 ception transmit impressions or sensations to the 

 brain, which acts as a sort of great central tele- 

 graph-office, receiving impressions and sending 

 messages to all parts of the body, and putting in 

 motion the muscles necessary to accomplish any 

 movement that may be desired. So that you have 

 here an extremely complex and beautifully-pro- 

 portioned machine, with all its parts working 

 harmoniously together towards one common 

 object the preservation of the life of the 

 animal. 



Now, note this : the horse makes up its waste 

 by feeding, and its food is grass or oats, or perhaps 

 other vegetable products ; therefore, in the long 

 run, the source of all this complex machinery lies in 

 the vegetable kingdom. But where does the grass, 

 or the oat, or any other plant, obtain this nourish- 

 ing food-producing material ? At first it is a little 

 seed, which soon begins to draw into itself from 

 the earth and the surrounding air matters which 

 in themselves contain no vital properties what- 

 ever; it absorbs into its own substance water, 

 an inorganic body; it draws into its substance 

 carbonic acid, an inorganic matter ; and ammonia, 

 another inorganic matter, found in the air; and 

 then, by some wonderful chemical process, the 



