us indicative of the Aye of the Animal. 
2«3 
would be most likely to be recognised. If insipid, the poisonous 
plant might be swallowed. Such plants, however, are not 
wanting both in smell and taste. To provide therefore for their 
odoriferous particles reaching the seat of smell, is one of the 
offices, at least, of certain ducts which we find forming a commu- 
nication between the mouth and the nostrils of the ox and sheep, 
as well as in some other animals. Tliese ducts, which are two in 
number, have been called the Stenonian, after Steno their dis- 
coverer. They pass from the mouth into the nostrils, one on 
either side of the median line of the palate, having between 
their oral openings a peculiar shaped elevation of the mucous 
membrane. The form and also the size of tliis body are found to 
vary in our domesticated animals. In the ox it is lozenge-shaped, 
but in the sheep it has a triangular form, the base of which may be 
said to rest upon the dental pad, and its apex to extend backwards 
towards the soft palate. Thus the Stenonian ducts opening very 
near to the bearing of the incisor teeth upon the dental pad, 
thereby effectually secure the passage of such odours into the 
nostrils as belong to the several plants on which the animal may 
be feeding. I am not aware that any anatomist has described 
similar openings as existing in the pig ; theie are, however, com- 
munications equally direct between the mouth and nostrils in the 
pig as in the ox and sheep.* 
The pig is doubtless a filthy feeder, but that he is less so 
than is generally supposed will be apparent from the following 
statement of Youatt in his Work on the Pig : — ■ 
" Eoots and fruits are the natural food of the hoor, in a wild as well as in a 
domesticated state; and it is evident that, however omnivorous this animal may 
occasionally appear, its palate is by no means insensible to the diti'crence of 
eatables, for whenever it finds variety it will be found to select the best with 
as much cleverness as other quadrupeds." " In the peach-tree orchards of North 
America," says Pennant, "where hogs have plenty of delicious food, they have 
been observed to neglect the fruit that has lain a few hours upon the ground," 
and patiently wait a considerable time a fresh windfall." 
" According to Linnoeus, the hog is moru nice in the selection of his vege- 
table diet than any of our other doinesticated animals. They are gifted with 
an exquisite sense of smell as well as touch, residing in the snout, and this en- 
ables them to discover roots, acorns, earth-nuts, or other delicacies suitable to 
their palates, which may be buried in the ground. In some parts of Italy 
swine are employed in hunting for truffles that grow some inches below the sur- 
face of the soil, and form those pickles and sauces so highly esteemed by epi- 
cures. A pig is driven into a field and there suffered to pursue his own course. 
Wherever he stops and begins to root with his nose, truffles will invariably be 
found." t 
With these remarks on the uses of the incisors in the col- 
♦ The ducts of Steno are connected with cul cle sacs, called sometimes Jacobson's 
organs; but these it is not now necessary for me to describe, 
t The Pig, p. 24. 
