139 



October 25, 1831. 

 Joseph Cox Cox, Esq. in tlie Chair. 



Mr. Ovven read a portion of liis notes on tlie anatomy of a Cro- 

 codile [Croc. acutus, Cu\.), made during the dissection of a young 

 individual vvhicli had lately died at the gardens of the Society. 



Before speaking of the internal anatomy, he alluded to the pecu- 

 liar structure of the tongue andjauces, which he described as es- 

 sentially agreeing with that of the šame parts in the Egyjdian Cro- 

 codile. He explained the uses of the apparent closure oftheyaMcej, 

 in which, on looking into the mouth, no orifice or passage for the 

 food is perceptible ; and remarked on the necessity for so com- 

 plete a safeguard of the larynx in an animal breathing air, but de- 

 stroying its iiving prey by submersion in water. 



H e then proceeded to the description of the viscera, and com- 

 menced by remarking on the singular disposition of the serous 

 raembranes of the body in the Crocodiles ; a disposition which he has 

 observed in no other animal, and vvhich is such as to resemble the 

 effects of a general inflammatory action. It is, hovvever, normai, 

 and has been observed by hin-i in three individuals of the Croco' 

 dilus Lucius and Croc. aaitus, 



" The serous membrane analogous to peritoneum is reflccted 

 from the abdominal parietės upon the under surface of the sto- 

 mach, to the right of vvhich it partially surrounds the gall-bladder. 

 and is continued upon the inferior surface of the right lobe of 

 the liver ; from these parts it descends, enveloping the spleen and 

 covering the anterior part of the kidne3's and testes, and being con- 

 tinued from the middle line of the abdomen, surrounds the intes- 

 tines in the usual manner, forming a rather loose mesentery : thus 

 the abdomen appears to contain only the intestines, gall-bladder, 

 spleen, kidneys, and genital glands. The serous membrane which 

 covers the upper surface of tiie stomach is reflected upon the under 

 surface of the left lobe of the liver, and forms a distinct cavity con- 

 fined to these parts. Along the line of ihe stomach, where the 

 superior and inferior serous membranes are contiguous, a quantity 

 of fat is interposed, together with the principai vessels of the sto- 

 mach, analogous to the omentum, 'ihe serous membranes analo- 

 gous to \.\\e pleurcE, after lining the sides of the chest, entirely sur- 

 round the lungs, and are reflected on each side upon the superior 

 and lateral aspects of the liver, a process dipping down betvveen 

 ihe lung and the liver, but forming only a partial sepUivi, and ter- 

 minating in a concave edge tovvards the back. On each side 

 of the pericardium there is also a distinct serous membrane, which 

 is reflected from the lovver part of that bag upon the mesial aspect 

 ofthe liver: so that, including they3er/r«>Y/»<m itself, there are no 

 less than seven distinct serous membranos in the trunk of the Cro- 



