226 ANATOMY OF THE RABBIT 



the dorsal abdominal wall and the diaphragm with the left 

 side and dorsal surface of the greater curvature of the 

 stomach. Its posterior portion is divided into two parts by 

 the spleen. The dorsal part, the phrenicosplenic ligament 

 (lig. phrenicolienale) connects the spleen with the dorsal 

 body-wall. The ventral part, the gastrosplenic ligament 

 (lig. gastrolienale) connects the spleen with the greater 

 curvature (cf. Fig. 51). 



(b) The peritoneum is projected backward from the greater 

 curvature as a free fold, the greater omentum (omentum 

 majus, epiploon) (cf. p. 137), which covers the surface of 

 the intestines to a certain extent. It usually contains fat. 

 It is composed of four layers, of which two, representing the 

 ordinary layers of a mesentery, proceed backward from the 

 surface of the stomach, and at the posterior free edge of 

 the omentum turn forward as the other two in a more 

 dorsal position to unite with the transverse mesocolon, the 

 mesentery supporting the transverse colon (p. 239), a part 

 of the large intestine. Fig. 51 shows how this arrangement 

 develops. 



(c) The lesser omentum (omentum minus) passes from the 

 lesser curvature and the duodenum to the posterior surface 

 of the liver. Its thickened margin on the right side forms 

 the hepatoduodenal ligament (lig. hepatoduodenale) which 

 carries three important structures, namely, the common 

 bile duct, the hepatic artery, and the portal vein. Its left 

 portion forms a thin membrane, the hepatogastric omen- 

 tum, connecting the caudate lobe of the liver with the 

 lesser curvature. 



3. Working on the left side between the dorsal surface of the 

 stomach and the body-wall, tear away sufficient of the peri- 

 toneum to expose the first portion of the abdominal aorta as it 

 emerges from the diaphragm, and runs along the median line 

 of the dorsal body-wall. In doing so, try to avoid damaging 

 the slender greater splanchnic nerve (g). Passing in the di- 

 rection of the stomach is a median ventral branch of the aorta, 

 the coeliac artery, the distribution of which may be traced 



