The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1878-07-04
Process Of Illumination.

Process Of Illumination.
The stomachs of Illuminating animals
are divided into four chambers, OF
which three are SO disposed that the
food can enter, at the Will Of the AMI
NAL, into any one of them.
The first stomach, or paunch, is d.
yided outwardly into two bag-like APP
pendageS at its extremity, and is slight
ly separated into four parts Oh the III
side. Here are received the masses OF
heritage, rudely broken up by the first
mastication. But no true digestion
occurs here-only slight macerati0n,
such as water would produce in a de-
gree or moderate heat. TIE heritage
is afterwards transmitted in this state
TO the second stomach, or honey comb
bag, SO called from the honey-comb
similarity of the surface of its coats.
Here the heritage is arrested and com
pressed into small maWS or balls, which
are thence returned TO the mouth for
e-maSticatiOn.
During this operation the animal re-
mains in a state of repOse, until all the
heritage swallowed has undergone the
action of the mOlar teeth a second
time. The food thus Reconstructed IS
transmitted into the third or smallest
stomach, the lamin9 on the walls OF
which bear a resemblance to the edges
of the leaves of book when slightly
opened. From the third stomach the
food is transmitted into the fourth,
which is next III size to the first stom-
ach or paunch, and with an internal
villous or fibrous coat similar to that OF
the human stomach, with large, longi-
tudinal wrinkles. This last stomach is
the chief organ Of digestion.
The first three stomachS are connect
ed with each other, and with the throat,
in a very remarkable way. The latter
passage enters just where the paunch
and the second and third stomachs APP
proach each other; it IS then continued
with the groove, which ends i'll the
third stomach. This groove IS, there
fore, open to the first stomachs, which
lie to its right and left. But tie thick,
prominent lips, which form the margin
of the groove. admit of being drawn
together so as to form complete canal,
which then constitutes a direct cOntin-
uation Of the throat into the third
stomach. Tie functions of this very
singular part vary, according to its use
as simple groove, or closed canal.
In the first case, the grass is passed,
after very slight degree Of mastica-
ton, into the paunch as Il reservoir.
Thence it goes, in small portions, into
the second stomach, from which, after
further maceration, il is propelled into
the throat passage, and conveyed by a
muscular backward motion into the
mouth.
Here it is ruminated, and again swal-
lowed, during which the groove is
closed, and the food, after this second
mastication. is thereby conducted d.
rectly into the third stomach. During
the short time which it stays III this
situation, between tie folds of the in
ternal coat, it is still further prepared
for digestion, which is completed i'll
the fourth or digestive stomach. The
closing of the groove, as already de-
scribed, which determines the chamber
or stomach into which the food shall
be passed, is an act of will on the part
of the animal. While young ruminants
remain at the teat, and live upon milk,
the fourth stomach is the largest. The
first stomach or paunch only develops
itself into its enormous volume III pro-
portion as it receives supplies of her
bage, which increases with the growth
OF the animal.