M. Nicolucci on the Anatomy of the Triton aquaticus. 293 



pancreo-duodeno-yastro-splenic divided into the pancreo-duo- 

 denal and the gastric, which previous to its being divided 

 upon the stomach sends two pretty large branches to the 

 spleen. Two other small trunks which spring from the cceliac 

 are all directed to the small intestine {arteries mesentericce 

 superiores) ; whilst another branch («. mesenterica inferior) 

 goes off direct from the aorta to disperse itself on the large 

 intestine. Betwixt the cceliac and the last-described artery, the 

 aorta always sends off branches to the testicles and the vasa 

 deferentia in the males, to the ovaries and oviducts in the fe- 

 males ; to the adipose bodies ; to the kidneys in 10 — 12 ramus- 

 culi. Along the course of the aorta there pass off from it at 

 right angles and in opposite directions the intercostal arteries, 

 and from the last the vesical and the ischiadic, which, having 

 given a superficial branch to the surrounding muscles, and 

 anastomosing with the mammary, turn towards the hinder 

 legs, soon divided into the femoral, tibial and fibular, extend- 

 ing to the fingers, divided into the five digitals. The aorta 

 being prolonged into the tail, first gives small branches to the 

 cloaca, and moreover lateral branches as far as to the extre- 

 mity of the tail. 



B. Venous System. — From the union of the digital veins 

 arise the femoral and tibial of the hinder limbs, w 7 hich are 

 united, in the interior of the pelvis, to the caudal vein, from 

 which then arise the renal afferent vein, which receives the 

 vesical and is dispersed through the whole kidney by the aid 

 of considerable lateral branching trunks ; the umbilical, which 

 runs isolated along the ventral side of the body so as to reach 

 the liver and there lose itself; the vena porta, which ascending 

 successively collects many intestinal branches, the splenic vein, 

 the pancreatic, the gastric, and divides thus enlarged in the 

 liver ; whilst the renal efferent vein, arising by the side of the 

 kidne} r s from the many trunks which seem to be anastomosed 

 with the renal efferent veins in the same manner as the pul- 

 monary artery and veins are upon the respiratory sac, turns to 

 the vena portae *. 



* Jacobson was really the first person who made mention of this peculiar 

 circuit of the blood in the kidneys which occurs in fishes and reptiles, but 

 not in birds, as Nicolai has demonstrated (Oken's \ Isis,' 180G, p. 404) ; but 

 the description given of it by Jacobson was altogether doubtful and confused, 

 so that many anatomists either paid little regard to it, or considered it as a 

 thing not at all demonstrated (Duvernoy in • Cuvier, Lecons d'Anat. Comp.' 

 2nd edit., Paris, 1839, torn. vi. pp. 254, 255). Meyer (Analekten fur ver- 

 gleich. Anat., Bonn, 1835) pointed out traces of it, in the Rana pipa, some- 

 what more distinctly than the Danish anatomist ; and Wagner in like man- 

 ner made it the subject of his investigation (Lehrbuch der vergl. Anat., 



