52 



April 24th. 

 R. C. Griffith, Esq., in the Chair. 



Some notes by Mr. Martin were read, On the visceral anatomy 

 of the Spotted Cavy, Ccelogenus subniger, taken from the examina- 

 tion of a malė specimen which had died suddenly in the Menagerie 

 of the Society. The length of the head and body along the spine 

 measured about 1 foot 10 inches. 



On opening the abdomen, the large folds of the ceccum presented 

 themselves, occupying the vrliole of the įimbilical and epigastric re- 

 gions, while to the left appeared the coils of small intestine ; and a 

 portion of the stomach was seen to emerge from below the edge of 

 the left portion of the liver. The omentum ■n'as of very small extent, 

 destitute of fat, and crumpled up beneath the stomach. 



The duodeiium commenced in the form of a large pear-shaped 

 sac, -vvhich measured in length 2|- inches, when the intestine as- 

 sumed its ordinary size, namely about half an inch in diameter. The 

 dimension of the sac at its largest part \vas four inches in circum- 

 ference. This pyriform commencement of the duodenum obtains in 

 many Rodents, and also in some Insectivora ; among the former may 

 be noticed the Cotjpus, Capromys, and Anama : in the insectivorous 

 animal lately described (Zool. Proc. 1838, p. 17.) under the name 

 of Echinops Telfairi, the šame structure also is remarkable. The 

 course of the djiodenum was as follows : leaving the pylorus and 

 loosely attached by mesentery, it described an arch over the 

 right kidney, -vv-hence it passed over the spine to the left kidney ; it 

 then turned' back to the spine, and there making several abrupt con- 

 volutions merged into the jejunum. In the sacculated part two 

 areolce of glandular foUicles were apparent through the jmrietes. 

 As in the Agouti, (Zool. Proc. 1834, p. 82.) the stomach had a con- 

 striction between its cardiac and pyloric portion ; in which point 

 (as does the Agouti,) it diiFers from the Acouchi, the dissection of 

 which -^vill be found in the Proc. of Com. of Sci. &c., 1831, p. 75. The 

 length of the stomach lying on the table undistended, or but slightly, 

 ■was 6 inches ; the cardiac portions swelled out to the extent of nearly 

 2 inches beyond the entrance of the ocsopkagus, and its pyloric ex- 

 tremity swelled out into a process on each side, as in the Agouti. 

 A muscular band, commencing at the entrance of the asophagus, 

 passed longitudinaUy along the stomach, contracting the greater 

 curve into sacculi, especially at the constricted portion. The length 

 of the asophagus within the abdomen was one inch and a quarter. 



The length of the small intestines was very great, the measure- 

 ment being 21 feet 8 inches. 



The ccecutn was large, irregularly, vmltitudinously , but not deeply 

 sacculated ; in form it was gently conical, terminating in a subacute 



