48 SELECTED NOTES FROM 



Kidney. — The secreting structure consists of tubes (tubuli 

 uriniferi), which commence in flask-like dilatations (Malpighian 

 capsules), near the outer surface. The tubes are convoluted in 

 the superficial, but straight in the central part of the kidney, 

 where they unite together and discharge into the central cavity, 

 from which a tube, the ureter, leads to the bladder. The tubules 

 are composed of a membrane lined by epithelium cells. A 

 minute branch of an artery enters each Malpighian capsule, 

 where it breaks up into a network of capillaries, the Malpighian 

 tufts, which lie free in the interior of the Capsule : these organs 

 unite into a single vessel, which, after leaving the capsule, goes 

 to form a plexus of Capillaries around the tubules. It has been 

 supposed that the urinary solids are secreted by the tubules, the 

 office of the tufts being to allow the watery constituents of the 

 urine to transude, thus acting like a flush-tank at the head of a 

 sewer. 



H. F. Parsons. 



Section Cat's Tongue. — In the Cat and other animals of the 

 tribe Felidae, the papillse attain a large size, and are developed 

 into sharp, recurved, horny spines. These large papillae cannot 

 be regarded as sensitive, but they enable the tongue to play the 

 part of a rasp, as in scraping bones ; or of a comb in cleaning the 

 fur. The small papillae which are found amongst the horny ones 

 are the sensitive papillae. 



J. Edwards. 



PREPARATION AND MOUNTING. 



Gizzards are best cleaned by soaking in potash for a day. 

 This destroys the muscles, of course ; but the teeth are brought 

 out well, and the muscles might be shown on another specimen 

 mounted in glycerine without soaking in potash. 



H. M. J. Underhill. 



The simplest way to clean Gizzards is to feed the insect on 

 honey, syrup^ or treacle, before killing them ; keeping them at the 

 time under a tumbler. They would eat it readily, if it were not 

 too thick to swallow ; and in passing through the stomach the 



