156 ELEMENTS OF MAMMALIAN ANATOMY 



is continued as the splenic, supplying the pancreas and the 

 spleen. The phrenic artery, supplying the diaphragn, some- 

 times arises from the celiac axis, but usually from the adrenolum- 

 balis. 



One or two small branches (As ventriculi dorsales) may arise 

 from the celiac near its division, but frequently they are given 

 off by the left gastric artery. 



The hepatic branch of the celiac axis gives off the gastro- 

 duodenalis just before entering the liver. Within the liver the 

 heptic breaks up into branches for the several lobes and a 

 cystic branch to the gall bladder. The gastroduodenalis 

 soon divides into three branches: the pyloric (A. pylorica) to 

 the pylorus and the lesser curvature of the stomach. Its 

 terminal branches anastomose with the left gastric, {h) The 

 pancreaticoduodenalis superior, to the duodenum and pancreas. 

 Its terminal branches anastomose with those of the pancreatico- 

 duodenalis inferior, (c) The gastroepiploica dextra, to the 

 greater curvature of the stomach and anastomosing with 

 the terminal branches of the splenic artery (A. lienalis). The 

 gastrica sinistra supplies the lesser curvature of the stomach 

 and anastomosis with the pyloric artery. 



The superior mesenteric is about the same size as the celiac 

 axis, and arises w^ithin one centimeter caudad. It sends 

 branches to the pancreas and both intestines. The adreno- 

 Inmhalis is a small branch on the left dividing into the adrenal, 

 phrenic, and muscular. The superior mesenteric gives off 

 four large branches and breaks up into about sixteen smaller 

 ones, {a) Pancreaticoduodenalis inferior, to the pancreas and 

 duodenum, anastomosing with the gastroduodenalis superior. 

 {h) Colica media to the colon. It divides into two branches, 

 one anastomosing with the colica dextra and the other with the 

 inferior mesenteric, (c) Colica dextra, to the colon and anastom- 

 osing with the colica media and the ileocolica. {d) Ileocolica, 

 supplies the cecum and ileocecal valve and anastomoses with 

 the colica dextra and branches of the superior mesenteric. The 



