UNGULATA. 



559 



number of hexagonal or many-sided cells, somewhat resem- 

 bling the cells of a honeycomb. The reticulum is small and 

 globular, and it receives the food after it has lain a sufScient 

 time in the paunch. The function of the reticulum is to com- 

 press the partially-masticated food into little balls or pellets, 

 which are then returned to the mouth by a reversed action of 

 the muscles of the oesophagus. After having been thoroughly 

 chewed and prepared for digestion, the food is swallowed for 

 tlie second time. On this occasion, however, the triturated 

 food passes on into the third cavity (p), which is variously 

 known as the "psalterium," " omasum," or {Scottick) the "many- 

 plies." The vernacular and the first of these technical names 

 both refer to the fact that the inner lining of this cavity is 

 thrown into a number of longitudinal folds, which are so close 

 as to resemble the leaves of a book. The psalterium opens 

 by a wide aperture into the fourth and last cavity, the " abo- 

 masum" («), both appearing to be divisions of the pyloric 



Fig. 217.— Stomach of a Sheep, o Gullet ; r Rumm or Paunch ; h Honeyr''~'-'>as o- 

 Reticulum ; p ManypUes or Psalterium ; a Fourth Stomach ox Abotnasitm. 



portion of the stomach. The mucous membrane of the abo- 

 masum is thrown into a few longitudinal folds, and it secretes 

 the true acid gastric juice. It terminates, of course, in the 

 commencement of the small intestine— «>., the duodenum. 

 The intestinal canal of Ruminants, as in most animals which 

 live exclusively upon a vegetable diet, is of great relative 

 length. 



The dentition of the Ruminants presents peculiarities almost 

 as great and as distinctive as those to be derived from the 

 digestive system. In the typical Ruminants {e.g., Oxen, Sheep. 

 Antelopes) there are no incisor teeth in the upper jaw, their 



