24 INTESTINE AND DIET OF REPTILES. 



The contents of the colon form an almost homogenous por- 

 ridge in which the material is to siich a degree decomposed 

 that hardly any structural elements can be distinguished. 

 It is evident that a narrow lumen with numerons compara- 

 tively low transversal folds must be a more suitable arrange- 

 ment than a wide lumen with a few large valves when the 

 food has the consistency of a jelly or a porridge. 



Sceloporus niidiilatus. 



Distancc from snout to vent (33 mm. 



The ventriele reaches nearly to the inguinal region where 

 it is a little recurved to the left, and forward. The small 

 intestine measures abont 80 mm., the large one abont 25. 

 The small ccccum to the left of the ileal aperture is hardly 

 more than 2 mm. in length. The ileal opening forms a small 

 prominent wart projecting into the large intestine. 



Of a remarkable interest is the fact that at the pylorus 

 the small intestine forms a, towards the pylorus, recurved säck 

 of about () mm. length. Such a ca^cal appendage has also 

 been found by me in Phrynosoma and Meckel has recorded 

 a similar organ in some lizards and snakes. 



The large intestine contained remains of beetles. 

 Phrynosoma coronatiim Blainville. 



Distance from snout to rent 79 ram. 



The peritoneum is brownish black. The ventriele is large, 

 almost crescent-shaped, its anterior end beginning in the me- 

 dian line, the fundns extending along the left side of the 

 abdomen rather far back, but the pyloric end is curved back 

 to the median line. The length of the ventriele is about 

 4^, 2 cm. It contained elytra etc. of some few beetles, some 

 other smaller beetles swallowed whole and in addition to 

 this pieces of herbs and straws accidentally swallowed with 

 the prey, as well as a good deal of sand. The pyloric sphinc- 

 ter is well developed and there is also a valve somewhat 

 further down, separated from the muscular tract by a short 

 thinwalled portion. The small intestine mea.^^ures 157 mm. 

 At the pylorus it forms a rather large and wide coccal ap- 



