of graminivorous and carnivorous Animals . 14,1 
care has been taken that every anatomical fact brought 
forward, should be ascertained by aetual examination. 
It is proposed to describe the internal structure of such sto- 
machs as appear to form the principal links in the grada- 
tion between animals which ruminate, and those which are 
truly carnivorous, arranging them in a series, the beginning of 
which is that nearest allied to the stomach of the ruminant, 
in the complexity of its parts, and the termination, that, which 
is most simple in its internal structure. 
Before the appearances of these different stomachs are de- 
scribed, it will be necessary to explain the circumstances under 
which they were observed. As the object of the present enquiry 
is to determine with as much accuracy as possible the shape, 
the stomach puts on, while performing its functions in the 
living body, and the structure, which belongs to the different 
parts of its internal membrane, it became necessary to consider 
what would be the best mode of making such examinations. 
It was found that the stomach ought not to be in a distended 
state at the time of the animal's death, for when that is the 
case, the air which is let loose or even the shaking of the 
contents, elongates or stretches the muscular fibres, so as to 
enlarge the cavity, and give it a form, by no means natural to 
it. This partly arises from the weakness of the mus- 
cular fibres themselves; but principally from the effect of 
death upon this organ, which destroys the rigidity of its 
muscular fibres, so that they become easily elongated, even 
when much shortened at the time death takes place. It is 
necessary to mention this circumstance, as it is the reverse of 
what happens in the voluntary muscles, which are generally 
known to become rigid at that time, and it accounts for the 
MDcccvn. U 
