History and Progress c^ Coviparative Anatomy, 307 



chifractcristic accuracy ; and even the branchial slits arc well 

 exhibited. The same may be said of the tubular openings of 

 the lamprey and congenerous fishes. 



'■' The 16th book on the cetaceous fishes and amphibia, con- 

 ^ns much accurate and interesting anatomical information. 

 Jlondelet is chiefly known as an animal anatomist. From his 

 descriptive statements in this book, however, especially that of 

 the dolphin, it appears that he knew the vesicidae seminales 

 not only in that animal but in man. He gives a particular ac- 

 count of the alimentary canal and its appendages, the kidneys, 

 ureters, and bladder, and the reproductive organs generally ; and 

 in the course of description, compares the organs with those of 

 man and the hog, clearly shewing that he was quite aware of 

 the difference between the dolphin and genuine fishes. " Sub 

 peritonaeo partes quae ad nutritionem et generationem imfor- 

 matae sunt ad quadrupedum terrestrium magis quam ad pis- 

 cium partes accedunt." 



Rondelet also knew the true structure of the follicles in the 

 beaver, and the sebaceous mucous glands of the anus in birds 

 and hares. Achillini, I have already mentioned as the first 

 discoverer of the ileo-caecal valve, which is now invariably de- 

 signated by the name of Caspar Bauhin. I must not omit to 

 remark, however, that Rondelet had discovered this membra- 

 nous duplicature, independent of any knowledge of its exist- 

 ence from Achillini ; and that to Rondelet, his pupil Posthius, 

 whose name has also been associated with this valve, was in- 

 debted for his knowledge of its existence. 



Of this physician two circumstances are recorded, which are 

 more creditable to his scientific zeal than his feelings or delicacy. 

 The corpse of one of his children, cut off* by disease, he is said 

 to have caused to be inspected in the public theatre of the uni- 

 versity ; and when his colleague Fontanus was supposed to be 

 at the point of death in a dangerous illness, Rondelet is said to 

 have solicited him most importunately to be permitted to inspect 

 the body of his friend when life was extinct. In the body of 

 Fontanus, we arc informed by Posthius, these anatomists ex- 

 amineil the renal papilla?. Rondelet died of dysentery, compli- 

 cated with fever, at Toulouse in 1566. 



(To be continued.) 



