PANCREAS. 



97 



these arrangements are liable to considerable 

 variety, and perfectly independent of the in- 

 timate structure and function of the gland, 

 for in different individuals of the same species, 

 the arrangement of the ducts is generally the 

 same, however the segmentation of the gland 

 may vary. The gland substance is firm, much 

 more dense than in other orders, and not di- 

 vided so distinctly into lobes and lobules : it has 

 a finely granular and mottled appearance, in 

 colour pink, or a little yellowish, or brownish. 

 The pancreas seldom communicates with the 

 intestine in birds by a single canal, the ducts 

 are generally either two or three in number, 

 and each continues independent and separate 

 to its orifice. They do not communicate either 



with one another or with the biliary canal : 

 although, however, exceptions are very rare, 

 Cuvier has met with an instance in the 

 stork, in which the single pancreatic and 

 hepatic ducts united and opened by a common 

 orifice. 



The following table, altered from Cuvier, 

 shows the number of the pancreatic ducts in 

 several orders of birds, and their relative si- 

 tuation with regard to the hepatic and cystic 

 ducts ; it also shows the relation of these last 

 to one another. That canal which is first indi- 

 cated has its insertion the nearest to the py- 

 lorus ; P. stands for pancreatic, H. for hepatic, 

 and C. for cystic. 



We see from this table, that, as a rule, the 



