22 INTESTINE AND DIET OF REPTILES. 



4\'2 ciu. aloiig its free margin. The distance from the tliird 

 to the fourth valve is 2\, 2, that from the fourth to the fifth 

 1 cm. The height of the fourth is about 2\''-> cm. and the 

 length of its free margin aboiit eqnal to that of the third 

 one. The fifth valve is small, its dimensions beeing resp. 1 

 cm. and 2\2 cm. There are no valves further down. The 

 general arrangement of the valves resembles consequently 

 that fonnd in the Iguana, but in the ConoloxjJius the valves 

 are still more developed. The colon of this animal contained 

 a black mäss of vegetable origin. In this can at the first 

 look be recognized stems and branches of plants — np to a 

 length of more than 10 cm. some of them — straws, and 

 leaves, several leguminons fruits, the largest (4\i' by 1 cm.) 

 including seeds etc. An examination under the microscope 

 shows that the mäss in which these macroscopic pieces are 

 imbedded consists of the decomposed remains of softer plant- 

 tissues, parenchyme-cellules etc, even spiral vessels broken, 

 softened and destroyed. Among these are found a great num- 

 ber of hairs and spines^ of herbs and other more resistant 

 parts. The epidemi seems in fact quite intact and where it 

 still covers the whole leaf the underlying tissues are not 

 destroyed, at least not much so. The digestion is consequently 

 imperfect in spite of the many valves of the colon and their 

 retarding influence, it may, however, proceed further before 

 the indigestible parts are expelled. 



Amblyrliyiichus oristatus Bell. 



Distance from snout to vent 320 mm. 



The ventricle is dilated so that it forms a distinct fun- 

 dus; near the pyloriis it contains pieces of marine algcie. There 

 is a very strong p^doric sphincter, but adjacent portions of 

 ventricle as well as intestine seem also to be rather more 

 strongly muscular than usual. The thinwalled pyloric tract 

 between the sphincter and the valve is in this form very 

 short, hardly more than \ 2 cm. The length of the small in- 

 testine is about 60 cm. The large intestine measures about 

 46 cm. There is a small rounded ca3cum which in its pre- 

 sent empty and contracted state measures 12 mm. in length 



' These may perhaps have belonged to some Cactus. 



