56 ON THE PHYSIOGNOMY OF SERPENTS. 



OF THE LIVER. 



The Liver in all Ophidians presents the form of a long 

 riband, diminishing towards its extremities, sometimes 

 im})erfectly divided into two lobes, extending along the 

 oesophagus and stomach, from the heart almost to the py- 

 lorus. The conformation of this organ depending in a 

 great measure on the general figure of the serpent, it will 

 be supei-fluous to describe the innumerable modifications it 

 undergoes in the different species ; it is sufficient to state, 

 rehitively to its length, that the posterior extremity of the 

 liversometimes touches the pancreas, while in other serpents 

 it remains at a considerable distance. The hepatic duct 

 proceeding from the interior surface of the liver, descends 

 towards the pancreas, to conduct the bile into the small in- 

 testine. It is in this region, and generally covered by the 

 pancreas, that the reservoir is situated, destined to receive 

 the bile, which, as has been very well remarked by Duver- 

 NOY,* can only arrive there by a sort of regurgitation. 

 Constantly filled with an abundant fluid, the gall bladder 

 discharges it in digestion by a short duct, which unites, 

 under an angle more or less acute to the hepatic duct ; 

 the ductus choledocus, so formed, is lodged between the 

 lobules of the pancreas to penetrate the small intestine ; 

 its orifice is recognised by a small border very indistinctly 

 marked. 



OF THE KIDNEYS. 



The kidneys of Ophidians, remarkable by their unsym- 

 metrical position, and by their lengthened form, are di- 

 vided into a great number of little lobes adhering to each 

 other by cellular tissue ; they are usually preceded by ex- 

 tremely small bodies, which probably represent the renal 

 capsules : placed most generally at a short distance from 

 the anus, the kidneys extend a good way up the abdomi- 

 nal cavity. The ui-eters, canals of greater or less length, 



* Annales des Sciences Naturelles, xxx. p. 125. 



