MILLER — CONTRIBUTIONS FROM ANATOMICAL LABORATORY. 221 



than the other branches and do not join it until after it has en- 

 tered the pancreas. 



The gastric vein arises from the posterior third of the stomach 

 by two branches ; one on the dorsal and one on the ventral side. 

 These branches unite at the pylorus and form the Gasteio 

 Vein, Gv., PI. 11, which immediately enters that lobe of the 

 pancreas which is closely applied to the intestine just posterior 

 to the stomach. As it passes through the pancreas it receives 

 small branches from the pancreas itself and the adjacent part of 

 the intestine; it continues in the pancreas until it joins the 

 mesenteric vein on the dorsal surface of the liver. 



About G mm anterior to the junction of the mesenteric and 

 gastric, the trunk thus formed is joined by the Splenic Vein, 

 Sp., PI. 11. This vessel arises at the anterior end of the spleen, 

 and in its course along the ventral surface of that organ receives 

 many small branches from it. It is also joined by from two to 

 four veins which bring blood from the dorsal portion of the an- 

 terior two-thirds of the stomach. The more anterior of these 

 veins are smaller than those which come from the central region 

 of the stomach. In two specimens a large vein was found run- 

 ning dorsally from the spleen, and, passing to the median side 

 of the left lung, it joined the left posterior cardinal. 



Just beyond the enlargement formed by the union of the 

 mesenteric, gastric and splenic veins the Abdominal Vein, Abd., 

 PI. 11, usually joins the hepatic portal ; in other cases it empties 

 into the enlargement itself. 



The Hepatic Portal, II. P., PI. 11, after being formed in 

 the manner already described, runs anteriorly at the bottom of 

 the fissure on the dorsal side of the liver. It becomes smaller 

 and smaller, on account of the numerous branches which it gives 

 off, and finally, at the anterior end of the liver, breaks up into 

 small branches. Al)out 20 mm from the anterior end of the 

 liver a variable number of veins, two to four in number, coming 

 from the antero-ventral portion of the stomach, G., PI. 11, join 

 the hepatic portal. The most posterior of these veins is the 

 largest, and is mainly formed by a branch which can be traced 

 posteriorly along the ventral side of the stomach to form an 



