192 PHYSIOLOGY AT THE FARM. 



may be said that the pancreas of birds is a development merely 

 of the duodenal portion of the pancreas in mammals. In birds, 

 in short, the pancreas does not retain its relation with the 

 stomach, except in a slight manner, by its anterior extremity, 

 in its advance towards the spleen, which lies to the right of 

 the crop and the gizzard. The pancreas of birds is retained in 

 its position by the laminae of the gastro-colic and gastro-hepatic 

 omentum, which glide above and below between the two por- 

 tions of the curvature of the duodenum. Sometimes this organ 

 is locked between these laminae in such a manner, however, 

 that it is raised more or less above their level ; in other birds 

 these laminae supply it with a small mesentery which, as 

 in the duck, allows it to float to a moderate extent in the" 

 abdomen. 



The colour of the pancreas is of a rose hue, somewhat yel- 

 low, rarely brown. It is of a firm consistence. Its substance 

 is much more compact than in mammals, nor does it present 

 those distinct and more or less separated lobules which prevail 

 in them. Its figure is very irregular ; generally it is long and 

 straight, to adapt it to the situation it has to occupy. It is 

 rarely without some division, and sometimes that is deep. 

 There are even two distinct glands, or three, as it is alleged. 

 Thus the pancreas is double in the bustard, the curassow ( Craoc 

 alector), the swan, the duck and in the domestic cock it is 

 bifurcated. The right branch in the cock is broad and short ; 

 the left is narrow and long, advancing towards the pylorus. 



The pancreas commonly sends forth one, two, or three 

 ducts ; these are more visible than in other animals. They 

 terminate in the duodenum, with few exceptions, separately 

 from the biliary ducts. There are many varieties in the in- 

 sertion of the biliary and pancreatic ducts into the duodenum. 

 The rule seems to be that the pancreatic duct opens first into 

 the intestine, that the hepatic duct is inserted a little farther 



