REPORT ON THE SPHENISCID^. 



199 



Variations in respect of the Pancreas. 



The pancreas presents essentially a similar appearance in every species of Penguin, and 

 differs only in size and in the fact that in some species, e.g., Eudyptes chrysocome} 

 the gland which is usually single is divided into two or more separate parts, which, 

 however, are closely in contact with one another. With regard to the position of the 

 points of entrance of the hepatic and pancreatic ducts into the intestine, it may be 

 stated that, as a rule, the left bile duct opens into the gut next the stomach, and is 

 followed by one, or it may be by two pancreatic ducts, then by the right bile duct, and 

 lastly by the lowest pancreatic duct. This rule is not, however, without exception. It 

 may farther be observed, that when only two pancreatic ducts are present, that which 

 arises from the head of the gland usually opens into the intestine below that which 

 carries off the secretion from the lower portion of the viscus. 



It ought to be noticed that the pancreas of several of the birds dissected had to some 

 extent undergone decomposition, and that the exact determination of the number of the 

 pancreatic ducts was thereby rendered difficult. The results of my dissections, however, 

 are given in the accompanying table. 



Table showing the relative positions of the Intestinal Extremities of the Hepatic and Pancreatic 

 J)ucts in different Species of Penguin. The figures indicate in inches the distance from the 

 pylorus of the point of entrance into the intestine of each of the ducts.- 



1 In Spluniscus demersus, Garnot (Annales iles Sciences NatureUes, 1826, p. 53) found the pancreas divided into two 

 distinct portions. 



^ In this table I have omitted all mention of the pancreatic ducts in Eudtjjites chrysocome from the Falkland Islands. 

 The reason is, that in both specimens examined the pancreas was so far decomposed as to render the determination of 

 the number of pancreatic ducts impossible. 



