446 PHYSIOLOGY OF THE DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 



and various unknown bodies which may be extracted with ether ; on the 

 other hand, phenol, indol, leucin, and tyrosin are absent, indicating the 

 absence of putrefactive changes in the foetal canal. Meconium also 

 contains sulphur, lime, magnesium, phosphoric acid, and considerable 

 amounts of alkaline salts. The reaction is faintly acid. 



The faeces passed by the carnivora during fasting closely resembles 

 meconium, differing from it, however, in that they contain no unchanged 

 biliaiy acids and hydrobilirubin is present. When fed with meat the 

 faeces of the dog usuallj' "have an alkaline reaction, and where the meat 

 has not been too freely given never contain undigested muscle-fibres. 

 The proof that the faeces in carnivora after meat feeding are mainly com- 

 posed of excretory matter is found in the facts that while increasing the 

 amount of meat does increase the amount of faeces, the increases are not 

 proportional ; and that the amount of food remaining unchanged, the 

 amount of faeces varies. The amount of nitrogen is about 6 per cent., 

 while the inorganic matter is considerably larger in amount than in meco- 

 nium, but contains less alkaline salts. When large amounts of fats are 

 given to dogs with meat, the faeces are dark-brown externally and 

 grayish on the inside ; the daily amount passed is also larger than where 

 meat alone constitutes the diet. 



The faeces in herbivora always have an aspect and color closely 

 similar to the food with which the animals have been fed. Thus, they 

 are yellow when fed on hay, and green if grass has been given, since 

 chlorophyll is unchanged in the alimentary tube ; the tint will, however, 

 vary according to the rapidity of their progression through the intestine 

 and the quantity of bile poured out. The faeces of solipedes are extruded 

 in rounded masses, flattened at the sides from mutual pressure, and are 

 yellow, green, or brownish in color. In oxen the faeces are of semi-solid 

 consistence, and dark-green or brown in color. The faeces of sheep and 

 goats are passed in the form of small, hard balls, very dark-green or 

 black in color. In hogs the faeces are semi-solid, very offensive in odor ; 

 their color depends on the nature of the food. 



The consistency of the faeces depends naturally upon the quantity 

 of water contained in them, which even in the most solid instances is 

 still considerable. In carnivora the faeces have a blackish tint if meat 

 has been given cooked. They become fatty or clay-colored in cases of 

 obstruction to the flow of bile or in diseases of the pancreas. The odor 

 is characteristic of each group of animals, and is due primarily to indol 

 and sulphuretted hydrogen. The quantity, both absolute and relative to 

 the amount of food, is greater in herbivora than in carnivora ; thus, 

 horses empty their bowels on an average every three hours, and when 

 fed on 10 kilos hay and 2 kilos oats will pass about 17 kilos faeces, con- 

 taining 2.67 kilos of solids ; cattle evacuate about 30 kilos of faeces daily, 



