THE VASCULAR SYSTEM 237 



tinues undivided to the liver. It passes dorsal to this organ, and 

 about 5 mm. from its edge, fuses with the anterior gastric branch of 

 the portal vein, which, continuing along the dorsal side of the liver, 

 appears to be a direct continuation of the abdominal vein. The sec- 

 tion between the anterior end of the bladder and the posterior edge 

 of the liver receives some two or three tributaries. 



{e) Several factors from the ventral body-wall and the rectus ab- 

 dominis muscle. These factors frequently, if not invariably, anasto- 

 mose with factors of the anterior epigastric veins. They often, instead 

 of entering the abdominal vein direct, enter the median epigastric 

 vein (see below) to which they probably belong. 



(J) A small factor from the proximal end of the duodenum may 

 frequently be found entering the ventral side of the abdominal vein 

 at the point where it crosses that section of the gut. 



(^) The median epigastric vein (y. cm.) is represented by one or two 

 factors of the abdominal vein lying ventral to it and collecting from 

 the ventral parietes. It corresponds very closely with the similarly 

 named vein in Reptiles as described by Beddard (1906) and O'Dono- 

 ghue (1921). 



The epigastric veins are notoriously difficult to investigate, and 

 the Salamander is no exception. So far as could be determined the 

 median epigastric vein extends anteriorly through the subperitoneal 

 epithelium as far as the sternal cartilage. Whether it anastomoses 

 with the sternal vein could not be determined with certainty, since 

 the pressure of the cartilage squeezed all the injection fluid and blood 

 from this section. In any case if such a connexion exists it is very 

 small. The vein receives several lateral factors which in some cases 

 appear to anastomose with corresponding factors of the anterior 

 epigastric veins. They correspond roughly in number and position 

 with the inscriptions in the rectus abdominis muscle. (For relations 

 of the anterior epigastric veins see pp. 2 30, et seq.) A comparison with 

 the work of Beddard and O'Donoghue will readily demonstrate the 

 striking general agreement between the abdominal, pelvic, and epi- 

 gastric veins of the Salamander and the reptiles concerned, particu- 

 larly Sphenodon, a fact which has also been noted by O'Donoghue in 

 his account of the vascular system of this animal. 



B. The F. porta (v.p.) arises dorsally at the level of the pylorus 

 (i.e. at about the middle of the body cavity) by the junction of the 

 lieno-gastric vein with the mesenteric veins. It runs in a dorso- 

 ventral direction, slightly obliquely anteriorly, passing through the 

 pancreas a little posterior to the hepatic artery. 



It should be noted that the factors and branches of the portal vein 



