146 ELEMENTS OF MAMMALIAN ANATOMY 



dorsal abdominal wall and the greater curvature of the stomach, 

 so as to cover the intestine like an apron. It is composed of 

 four layers of peritoneum forming a closed sac, and bearing 

 more or less fat. Two layers form the ventral wall of the sac 

 attached to the stomach, and two layers are also present in 

 the dorsal wall of the sac which invests the pancreas. 



The lesser omentum, or gasirohepatic omentum, extends cau- 

 dad from the liver to the pyloric part of the stomach and duo- 

 denum. Its two folds extend from the two sides of the portal 

 fissure, ensheathing the portal vein, hepatic artery, and cystic 

 duct. The gastrolienal ligament stretches from the cardiac 

 region of the stomach to the spleen, which it embraces, and 

 then proceeds to the diaphragm. 



The mesenteries are the two layers of peritoneum suspend- 

 ing the intestine from the dorsal abdominal wall. There are 

 four mesenteries: the true mesentery, suspending the jejunum 

 and ileum; the mesoduodenum, suspending the duodenum; the 

 mesocolon, suspending the colon; and the mesorectum, sus- 

 pending the rectum. 



The parietes or parietal peritoneum is that portion lining 

 the walls of the abdominal cavity. It is a closed sac in the 

 male, but in the female the uterine tubes open into it. 



The ligaments are the layers of the peritoneum suspending 

 other organs than parts of the alimentary canal. The sus- 

 pensory or falciform ligament extends from the caudal surface 

 of the diaphragm and the abdominal wall, to the surface of 

 the liver, which its Hne of attachment divides into halves. 

 The round ligament is the thickened free caudal border of the 

 suspensory ligament. It is the remains of a vein which in 

 fetal Hfe joined the offspring to the mother. A third Kgament 

 connects the dorsal border of the liver with the diaphragm. 

 The broad ligaments of the uterus are the folds of peritoneum 

 which embrace the uterus, the uterine tubes, and the ovaries. 

 The ovarian ligaments are short cords extending from the ends of 

 the uterine cornua to the ovaries. The round hgaments of the 



