CHANGES IN FETAL VESSELS UE THE LIYEK 479 



Instead of a continuous suspensory ligament extending from 

 the umbilicus to the region of the coronary ligament only a fine 

 thread-like strand of peritoneiun about 1 mm. wide extended 

 from about the midpoint of the ventral surface of the liver to 

 the abdominal wall about 4 cm. cranial to the umbilicus. Be- 

 tween the latter point and the umbilicus there was a small fold 

 of peritonemn. The peritoneum in this region covered a small 

 quantity of extra-peritoneal fat and was somewhat \sTinkled 

 but entirely smooth within a distance of 2 cm. of the umbilicus. 

 Along the abdominal wall cranial to this strand and on the dia- 

 phragm, a fine, free fringe of peritoneum which become gradually 

 wider could be seen very plainly and finalh' ran into a small 

 triangular suspensory ligament from the dorsal extremity of the 

 caudal margin of which another fold of iieritonemn about half 

 a centhneter wide extended to the central end of the above- 

 mentioned fine strand. Between the latter and the suspensory 

 ligament there was a large oval opening bounded by the ventral 

 abdominal wall, the diaphragm, suspensory ligament, the liver 

 and the above-mentioned narrow strand. From the dorsal 

 or hepatic attachment of the latter a narrow fringe of peritoneum 

 also extended caudally along the ventral surface of the liver to a 

 small funnel-shaped fossa, or pit in the substance of the liver 

 from the bottom of which projected a small, pointed, conical 

 teat about one centimeter long and three millimeters wide at 

 the base. Because of its appearance and location, this at once 

 suggested the renmant of the umbilical vein. That it was actually 

 such was C(jnfirnied later by gross and microscopic examination 

 and it was interesting that this remnant still had a small con- 

 ical lumen which was in communication with the left portal vein. 



The suspensory ligament measured only 2.5 cm. along the he- 

 patic surface and along the diaphragm and had a free cresentic 

 border about 3 cm. long. It is evident, of course, that it and the 

 fine strand as well as the narrow fringes represented only small 

 renmant s of the original extensive structure which had under- 

 gone almost complete degeneration so early in the life of the 

 animal. Hence it is clear that we have here a very interesting 

 and instructive stage in the degeneration and obliteration of 



