334 ON THE ALLIGATOR 



Cuvier, and is attached very closely on the anterior surface of 

 the two lobes of the liver ; a thin aponeurosis extends far- 

 ther and nearly surrounds this ora;an ; the contraction of 

 this muscle must move down the liver, the heart its; If, and 

 indeed most of the viscera contained in the abdomen. Fi- 

 bres from the above mentioned aponeurosis are attached be- 

 hind the liver to the ribs, forming a sort of diaphragm, or 

 a partition which divides the thoracic from the abdominal 

 viscera. The last which I shall mention, remarkable for its 

 size, arises from the first inferior process of the vertebra 

 over the lungs ; as it comes out of the thorax, it all at once 

 grows very thick, and sends on each side a tendon which is 

 attached to the first rib ; it tapers gradually above, and is in- 

 serted into the sphenoid bone ; it appears to me to be an an- 

 tagonist to the muscles of the neck. The lower muscle of 

 the tail is inserted on the pelvis, and to the femur by a ten- 

 don on each side. The intestinal canal is not very large ; 

 the ffisophagus is extremely thick, and capable of great dis- 

 tention ; the stomach has a rounded oblong form ; on the 

 right side, close by the orifice of the oesophagus, is that of the 

 duodenum. This intestine, near the end of its second turn, 

 receives the duct of the gall bladder. Near the end of the 

 rectum, on each side, are two intestina cwca; tliey at first 

 take a direct course upwards ; above they lie in a vermi- 

 form position, fixed by a folding of the mesentery. 



I always found the stomach empty, with the exception of 

 some gravel and a few small pieces of wood. It is generally 

 believed in Carolina, that the alligators swallow a piece of 

 the resinous knot of the pine tree, before they retire to 

 their winter retreat. A. glass stopper has been found in the 

 stomach of one, which had assumed a round form. 



On each side of the anus there is a gland, which contains 

 a thick yellow fluid having a strong smell of musk ; I)ut tills 

 smell is perceptil)le in every part of the body in old animnls. 

 M. Cuvier (Begne Animal) states, that on each side of i!ie 

 thioat there is the orifice of such a gland: on dissectina; this 

 part, I found a small bag having an opening near the lower 

 jaw ; it contained some particles of sand ; towards the hot- 



