Hens' Teeth

Perhaps it does nor. occur to man y that heus and other fowls have teetb, henee I presume in tb uioaning ot the expression, "scarce as hens' teeth." Now, heus have toetb, and I will describe tbem and the luminar in wlucli tliey are usud for proper masticatioti, and in order to help digestión, wbich is quito ts necessary in all auimaU as in the human body. The oouimou ur priuoipal lood tor pouitry ooimists of graiu and instcts, which tirst paas down the oeaophagus iuto a sort of poucb, o.oiunionly oalled the erop. Here it reinnins for a time, uiiugled wih a watery soorutiou in whiuli tlio grains are luacerated and softencd. Tbe food is tben oarried farther down, uutil it maches a second dilation, nniuod the proventriuclu8 or stüietuig stoinaoh. The inucus uiaiubruuo here ia thiuk and glandular, and is provided with numerous secretiug folliclu9. From t liciu an acid fluid 8 ejected, by wuiob the food is subjctud 10 fan hef cbauges. It next piases into the gizziird or trituratiug stomach, a oavity enclosed by thick muscular walls, and lined with a romarknbly tough and horuy ephitheliiim. Here it is subjected to tbe crushinp; and grindiue; actiou of tbe muscular pañetes, or, in reality, teeth, assisted by griiins ot smul and gravbl, which the bird iustinctively swallows with the food, by whicli it ím o tritumti'd und disintergrat ed that it is ruduced to uniform pulp, upon wkich the digestivo fluirts can efteotually opcrwte. Tbo inass theu passes into the intestinas, where it meets with the intestinal juicea, which complete the process of Rolution, and from ihe intestinal cavity it is finally absorbed in a liquid form by the vessels of