378 KAJIAKICHI KISHINOUYE: 



The coeliaco-mesenteric artery (fig. Q) is a claief impaired visceral artery 

 originating just before tlae right pharyngeal muscle. The artery passes the 

 right side of the muscle and is divided into three branches. I shall distinguish 

 them as the fii-st, second and third branch respectively ; numberiug fi-om the 

 left dorsal side gradually to the right venti-al side. The &,te or destination of 

 these branches are very different in different species, especially in the Plecostei. 

 The first branch is short and simple, but the other branches are large and 

 branching. In the Scombridae and Cybiidae the fii-st branch nourishes the 

 oesophagus and the left doi-sal side of the stomach. The second branch is divided 

 into two branchlets, one of which nomishes the right dorsal side of the stomach 

 and the air-bladder, when it is present, and the other the spleen and intestine. 

 The third branch the ventral side of the stomach and the pj-loric coeca. In 

 TImnnus the first branch is abortive, and nourishes the oesophagus only or is 

 entirely absent. The second branch is divided into short parallel numerous 

 ai'terioles in the right lobe of the Kver and then reunited to about three branch- 

 lets, one to the air-bladder, another to the right dorsal side of the stomach, 

 and the remaining to the spleen, pyloric coeca, and intestine. ITie thh-d bnmch 

 nms along the abaxial side of the liver and is also divided into numerous 

 nrterioles in the middle and left lobe? of the Uver. These ai'terioles are reunited 

 into principal canals, one nomishiug the left dorsal side of the stomach, and 

 the other the ventral side of the stomach, pyloric coeca, etc. In TImnnus orieiüalis 

 the third branch is subdivided into two before splitting into numerous arterioles. 

 In Parathumms the first branch nourishes the oesophagus and the left dorsal side 

 cf the stomach as in the Scombridae and Cybiidae. The second brauch nom-ishes 

 the air-bladder, right doi-sal side of the stomach, spleen, and intestine ; while 

 the third branch is divided into two branchlets, one into the liver the other to 

 the ventral side of the stomach, pj-loric coeca, and intestine. In Neothumius 

 neai-ly the same as in Parathumms, but the aiiery to the Kver is much more 

 degenerated. In Kaisuioonm the fii-st branch nourishes the oesophagus, left 

 dorsal side of the stomach, but in Eufhijnnus and Avzis it is very short, 

 slender, and nourishes the oesoplmgus only. The second branch noiuishes the 

 light doraal side of the stomach, spleen, smd intestine, while the third branch 

 nourishes the liver, ventral side of the stomach, and intestine. In the Katsu- 

 woiiidae the hepatic artery runs more or less forvvard near the root. 



