S26 ON THE ALLIGATOR 



The following is a brief exposition of the result. The 

 mucous coat of the stomach is smooth, without rugse. About 

 one inch from the pylorus, there is a constriction of the 

 duodenum, forming another pylorus ; immediately beyond 

 this, the duodenum forms a loop, in which is found the pan- 

 creas ; through this gland passes the gall duct. There is 

 not the least vestige of the valvulfe conniventes tluoughout 

 the intestines ; but in place of them are transverse constric- 

 tions forming the alimentary canal into numerous cells, 

 which must necessarily impede tlie progress of the contents. 

 There was no blind gut in this animal. 



In this subject, which was three feet ten inches long, the 

 intestines were five feet in length. 



The spleen lies beneath the duodenum, above the verte- 

 brse. The left aorta, in the abdominal cavity, previous to 

 its visceral divisions, gives off a considerable branch, which 

 communicates with the right descending aorta; the rest di- 

 vides into several branches distributed to the abdominal vis- 

 cera. 



The bag under the throat, in this young animal, contains a 

 musky substance. 



Letter from Dr. Harlan to JV*. M. Hentz, Esq. containing 

 some further Observations on the Physiology of the Alli- 

 gator. 



Philadelphia, i9th May, 1834. 



Dear Sir, 



Since I had last the satisfaction of cotnmunicating with 

 you, I have enjoyed another opportunity of dissecting an al- 

 ligator, three feet in length, which had lived several months 

 in the Philadelphia Museum. As the following facts tend to 

 confirm the observations we made some time ago, on three 

 individuals, I hasten to communicate them, in order to give 



