90 THE GENERAL ANATOMY OF THE LEMUROIDEA [SECT. A 



remain in contact as far as the ensiform cartilage, and thus 

 cover the pericardium completely below. Posteriorly the pleural 

 sacs pass far down the vertebral column, extending in some cases 

 to the level of the first lumbar vertebra 1 . 



J. The Alimentary Canal. The Lips. Vertical sections of 

 these shew the bundles of the M. orbicularis cut across. The 

 appearances resemble those of the lower Anthropoidea and present 

 few features of distinction. 



The Stomach is simple in form and is covered largely by the 

 Liver. 



The Liver fits like a cap or pallium over the stomach and 

 adjacent organs. In common with these, it is situated more 

 caudally than in the highest Primates, including Man (Patten). 

 The following points have been selected for notice, as bearing upon 

 the general morphological status of the Lemurs. 



(a) In general, the liver conforms to a type which may be 

 described as quadrupedal. A tendency to multi-lobation is one 

 of the features of that type, but in the Lemurs this tendency 

 is exaggerated (Ruge 2 ) by the development of minor flange-like 

 lobules. 



(6) In its mode of fixation to the diaphragm and posterior 

 abdominal wall, the liver of the Lemur conforms again to a 

 primitive type. Thus the connexion is provided by peritoneal 

 folds (the ligamentum falciforme and ligamentum coronarium), 

 as in all the Primates. The falciform ligament and the left 

 portion of the coronary ligament require no special description. 

 But the right portion of the coronary ligament has a linear 

 attachment, i.e. no separation of peritoneal laminae (leaving a 

 "bare area" of contact between the liver and the diaphragm) 

 exists. The possession of a wider area of contact is reserved 

 for the highest of the Primates. It has been regarded as 

 consequential on the assumption of the erect attitude 3 . This 

 explanation is doubtless correct, although the " attitude " habitual 

 in many Lemurs enjoins hesitation in its unqualified acceptance. 



1 Patten, op. cit. v. p. 88 supra. 



- Morphologisches Jahrbuch, Band xxix., also xxx. and xxxv. "Die iiusseren 

 FormverhiUtnisse der Leber bei den Primaten." 

 3 Proc. Anat. Soc. 1899, February. 



