Chap. 81.] 



THE KIDNEYS. 73 



larly efficacious in laborious deliveries, if it happens not to 

 have touched the ground. 



chap. 80. — the omentum: the spleen; animals which aee 



without it. 



The belly and the intestines are covered with a caul known 

 as the "omentum," consisting of a fatty, thin membrane; 

 except in the case of those animals which are oviparous. To 

 this membrane is attached the spleen, which lies on the left 

 side, and opposite the liver : sometimes, indeed, it changes 

 place with the liver, but such a case is looked upon as nothing 

 less than a prodigy. Some persons imagine that a spleen of 

 extremely diminutive size exists in the oviparous animals, 

 as also in serpents ; at all events, it is to be detected in the 

 tortoise, the crocodile, the lizard, and the frog; though it 

 is equally certain that it does not exist in the bird known as 

 the " Eegocephalos," 95 nor yet in those animals which are des- 

 titute of blood. The spleen sometimes offers a peculiar impe- 

 diment in running, for which reason the region of the spleen 

 is cauterized 96 in runners who are troubled with pains there. 

 It is said also, that if the spleen is removed 97 by an incision, 

 animals may survive. There are some persons who think 

 that with the spleen man loses the power of laughing, and 

 that excessive laughter is caused by the overgrowth of it. 

 There is a territory of Asia, known as Scepsis," in which it is 

 said that the spleen of the cattle is remarkably small, and 

 that from thence it is that remedies for diseases of the spleen 

 have been introduced. 



chap. 81. — the kidneys: animals which have four kid- 

 neys. ANIMALS WHICH HAVE NO^NE. 



About Briletum and Tharne 96 * the stags have four kidneys : 

 while, on the other hand, those animals which have wings and 

 scales have 99 none. The kidneys adhere to the upper part of 



» 5 Perhaps the godwit, or stone-plover, the Scolopax aegocephala of 

 Linnaeus. 



96 See also B. xxvi. c. S3. 



w This may be done with safety in dogs or other animals. 



*s See B. v. c. 32. 98 * See p. 68. 



99 This is not the case. Birds have kidneys, but of an irregular form. 



