BLOOD-VASCULAR SYSTEM OF THE LORICATI IO3 



and an anterior intestinal vein. Soon after leaving the spleen, 

 in front of the corresponding artery, the splenic vein (fig. 31, 

 Spl.V.) receives the posterior gastric vein (fig. 31, P.Gas.V.) 

 from the rear. This vessel arises from the ventral surface of the 

 stomach immediately behind the pylorus, and receives a small 

 branch coming from the ventral surface of the posterior end of 

 the intestine. After receiving this branch the posterior gastric 

 vein passes between the spleen and the ceeca and joins the splenic 

 vein. The splenic v^ein in Sebastodes auriciilatus after crossing 

 intestinal vein^^), and intestinal artery(2) unites with the right gas- 

 tric component, directly below intestinal vein(,), to form the main 

 right portal. Shortly before entering the liver the right portal 

 receives a small branch coming from a gland-like body marked 

 G (figs. 33 and 34), anastomoses with the common portal trunk 

 (which will be fully described under the head of the left portal), 

 and in its course in the right lobe of the liver receives the ante- 

 rior gall-bladder v€v!\. This vessel (figs. 33 and 34, A.G.Bl.V.) 

 is ahvays present, and sometimes returns the entire blood from 

 the gall-bladder. Its course is to the right and above the 

 ductus choledochus. 



id) Left portal vein in Hexagrammos, Scorpanichthys ^ and 

 Sebastodes, — In Hexagrammos the two pyloric caeca veins are 

 essentially the same as in Ophiodoti^ except that neither of them 

 receives a posterior gastric vein from the cardiac end of the 

 stomach. 'Close to its origin from the two pyloric ca^ca veins 

 the left portal (PI. IV, figs. 27 and 28 ; L.Por.V.) receives a 

 branch from the anterior arm of the ileum, designated as intes- 

 tinal vein(^o) (fig. 27, Int.V.(2)), but which perhaps corresponds 

 to an elongated anterior intestinal or duodenum vein. On the 

 dorsal surface of the liver the left portal breaks up into 3 radi- 

 cals (figs. 27 and 28, «, b and c). Radical a is prolonged to 

 anastomose with the right portal, and soon after leaving the 

 main stem receives a very large ventral gastric vein (fig. 28, 

 V.Gas.V.), w^hich may to some extent take the place of the 

 absent left gastric vein. 



In ScopcBnichthys the left portal (PI. IV, figs. 29 and 30; 

 L.Por.V.) receives both of the intestinal veins. The pyloric 

 caeca veins are essentially the same as in Ophiodon, except that 



