32 Descriptions of Preparations. 



The pancreas is in relation, and, by means of bloodvessels and 

 fibroceliular tissue, in connection with the spleen anteriorly. The 

 small intestine describes two more or less open convolutions at 

 its commencement, but after this, is arranged, differently from the 

 intestinal tract of the other reptiles, in several closely-apposed 

 festoonlike coils which lie between the rig-ht ovary and the left 

 side of the body-cavity, and are enveloped in a sac of the perito- 

 neum which is continuous posteriorly with a mesentery, and, an- 

 teriorly, takes the shape of a membrane laden with deposits of fat. 

 By the fastening" of this membrane out to the right of the animal, 

 we are enabled to see the upper end of the right oviduct, which is 

 prolonged much farther forward than the left one ; secondly, the 

 upper end of the right ovarian sac ; and, thirdly, the lower end of 

 the lung ; in the interval between the duodenum and the right side 

 of the body. In that portion of the peritoneal membrane which 

 supports the lobules of fat, a large vessel is seen, the homologue 

 of the vena abdominalis anterior, which is usually more closely 

 united with the anterior muscular wall of the abdomen, just as 

 the dorsal aorta is usually more closely connected with its posterior 

 or vertebral wall, than is seen to be the case in Snakes. It passes 

 forward and joins the portal vein which is seen passing from the 

 right side of the gall-bladder to gain the inner aspect of the liver, 

 along which it distributes itself. 



The lower half of the left ovary lies side by side with the upper 

 half of the right kidney. Below the lower end of this ovary, the 

 two oviducts are seen passing side by side down towards their 

 common termination in the cloaca, into which a black bristle 

 has been introduced. Posteriorly to the transversely directed 

 opening of the anus we see, the integument and muscles having 

 been removed, the two conically-shaped sacs which correspond 

 to the intromittent organ of the male. 



For the muscular system of Ophidia, see D^Alton, Mliller's Archiv. 



1834. 

 For the digestive system, see Duvernoy, Ann. Sci. Nat. torn. xxx. 



1833 j PI. xi. fig. 3, ibique citata. 

 For the circulatory, see Jacquart, Ann. Sci. Nat. tom. iv. ser. iv. 



1855. Jourdain, ibid. tom. xii. ser. iv. 1859; where the 



Portal and Renal-Portal systems of the Common Ringed 



