Birds and all Nature, Vol. V, No. 1, January 1899

Оглавление

Various. Birds and all Nature, Vol. V, No. 1, January 1899

"TESS."

WHIPPOORWILL

TONGUES

THE MOUNTAIN LION

THE HOLLY TREE

THE LEMON

ABOUT BEES

BIRDS AS SHEPHERDS

THE MISTLETOE

THE EAGLE

NUTS

THE BIRTH OF ATHENA

THE WHIPPOORWILL

THE EAGLE

MIGRATORY BIRDS

HOW BIRDS CARRY SEEDS

THE SHIP OF THE DESERT

THE SNAPPING-TURTLE

THE STORY OF LITTLE BILLEE

THE SAND-HILL CRANE

THE STORY OF LITTLE BILLEE

Отрывок из книги

THE tongue is said to be the stomach begun. It is the first organ of the digestive system which acts upon the food. It is the source of much of the pleasure of life, particularly to young people. As it stands at the entrance to the alimentary canal it is endowed with powers of detecting the qualities of whatever the hands present to the stomach.

In early life the system demands abundant supplies of good material to build up growth and maintain activity. The sense of taste is then peculiarly keen, and the appetite for good things is strong. After maturity the desires become less and one has not so much pleasure in eating unless by active labor or from some other cause the digestive organs are kept in a robust condition.

.....

We give the sense of taste more credit sometimes than it merits. What we regard as tastes are often flavors or only smells. What is taken in at the mouth gets to the nose by the back way if it is of the nature of most spices, and so by use of the nose and the imagination we taste things that do not affect the tongue at all. A cold in the head shows us we do not taste cinnamon, we merely experience its pungency as it smarts the tongue while its flavor we enjoy only with the nose.

With some substances we have a mixed experience that passes for taste, but it is really a combination of taste, smell, and touch. With the nostrils held one can scarcely distinguish between small quantities of pure water and the same with a very little essence of cloves. The difference is easily observed with the nostrils open or after swallowing, for the odor of the mixture gets readily into the nose from either direction.

.....