the many-plies; _d_, the reed.

[Illustration: Outline of the Stomach of a Calf about a fortnight old.]

[Illustration: Outline of the Stomach of a full-grown Cow.]

[These engravings, illustrative of the comparative sizes of the
different stomachal cavities, are copied from original drawings taken
from preparations of the stomachs which I made expressly for this
purpose.]

In all herbivorous animals, and especially those of the ruminating kind,
the alimentary canal is of an enormous length; measuring in a full grown
ox, as much as sixty yards. The paunch, in such an animal, will hold
from fifteen to eighteen gallons.

Blumenbach observes, that the process of rumination supposes a power of
voluntary motion in the oesophagus; and, indeed, the influence of the
will throughout the whole process is incontestible. It is not confined
to any particular time, since the animal can delay it according to
circumstances, even when the paunch is quite full. It has been expressly
stated of some men, who have had the power of ruminating, that it was
quite voluntary with them. Blumenbach knew four men who ruminated their
food, and they assured him they had a real enjoyment in doing it: two of
them had the power of doing or abstaining from it at their pleasure.

A case of human rumination occurred some years ago at Bristol, the
particulars of which are minutely recorded in the 'Philosophical
Transactions.' It seemed, in this instance, to have been hereditary, as
the father of the individual was subject to the same habit. The young
man usually began to chew his food over again, within a quarter of an
hour after eating. His ruminating after a full meal generally lasted
about an hour and a half; nor could he sleep until this task was
completed. The victuals, upon its return, tasted even more pleasantly
than at first; and seemed as if it had been beaten up in a mortar. If he
ate a variety of things, that which he ate first, came up again first;
and if this return was interrupted for any length of time, it produced
sickness and disorder; nor was he ever well till it returned. These
singular cases are caused, no doubt, by some abnormal structure of the
interior of the stomach. No account has yet been given of the dissection
of an individual so constituted.

When cattle are at rest, or not employed in grazing or chewing the cud,
they are observed frequently to lick themselves. By this means they
raise up the hair of their coats, and ofte