64 The Essentials of Poultry Raising 



used to nourish the body. No. 14, Fig. 24, is the liver, which 

 secretes bile or gall and from which gall is poured out into the 

 small intestine about fourteen inches from the point of origin 

 of the latter. The bile aids in the digestion of the fats of the 

 food ; indeed, without it fats cannot be digested. From the small 

 intestine the food passes into the two blind pouches called caeca, 

 which are shown at No. 10, Fig. 24. From this point the food 

 continues into the large intestine, shown in No. 8, Fig. 24. Both 

 the caeca and the large intestine contain glands in their walls 

 and secrete a fluid which contains ferments of aid in digesting 

 the nutrients of the food. From the large intestine the food 

 that is undigested and unabsorbed passes into a sac called the 

 cloaca and is then passed out. 



136. The spleen (No. IS, Fig. 24) is a small body shaped much 

 like a horse chestnut and is a blood-forming organ. 



137. The Organs of Breathing or Respiration. The air passes 

 in at the nostrils, through the nasal passage, out at the- back 

 part of the roof of the mouth, into the throat, and then into 

 the windpipe, as shown in No. 16, Fig. 24. The air next passes 

 through the windpipe, into the lungs (No. 18, Fig. 24), then 

 into the air sacs. 



