BRANCHES OF THE ABDOMINAL AORTA 



567 



(c) The oesophageal branch (Ramus oesophageus) passes through the hiatus 

 CBSophageus into the thoracic cavity above the oesophagus and anastomoses with 

 the oesophageal branch of the broncho-oesophageal artery. 



Small 

 Colon 



(origin) 



Fig. 449. — Pl.\n of Chief Branches of Anterior Mesenteric Artery of Horse. 



1, Stump of anterior mesenteric artery; 2, stumps of arteries of small inte.stine; 3, external c;pcal artery; 

 4, internal Ciecal artery; 5, ileal artery; 6, ventral colic artery; 7, dorsal colic artery; S, middle colic or first 

 artery of small colon. 



The gastric artery often arises by a common trunk with the splenic. The two tf!rminal 

 branches may arise separately, or the anterior from the splenic and the posterior from the hepatic. 

 The cesophageal branch often arises from the splenic or the posterior gastric. 



2. The hepatic artery (A. hepatica) is larger than the gastric. It passes for- 

 ward to the right and ventrally on the dorsal surface of the pancreas, covered by 



