546 THE RABBIT CHAP, 



mesenteric artery, arising about half an inch further back 

 than the cceliac trace its main branches (Fig. 137). Note 

 the cceliac or solar plexus (p. 533). 



2. a, The left kidney, with its artery, vein, and ureter ; 

 b, the yellowish left adrenal, anterior to the origin of the 

 renal artery and vein ; c, the left ovary, uterine tube, and 

 uterus in the female. 



3. a, The small posterior mesenteric artery, leaving the 

 aorta a short distance posteriorly to the left kidney and 

 supplying the rectum ; b, the posterior mesenteric vein, in 

 the mesentery of the rectum. 



III. Turn the intestines over to the animal's left side and 

 spread out the duodenum, putting its mesentery slightly 

 on the stretch but taking care not to rupture it, so as to 

 make out 



1. a, The large anterior mesenteric vein, into which the 

 posterior mesenteric vein opens ; b, the pancreas and its 

 duct, opening into the distal limb of the duodenal loop an 

 inch or so beyond the bend. 



2. a, The right kidney, partly overlapped by the caudate 

 lobe of the liver, and its ureter j b, the right adrenal. 



IV. Replace the intestines in their natural position ; cut 

 through the gullet close to the diaphragm, draw the stomach 

 backwards, turn forwards the lobes of the liver, and dissect 

 out the following structures (Fig. 137) : 



1. The common bile-duct made up of cystic and hepatic 

 ducts, and its entrance into the duodenum. 



2. a, The large hepatic portal vein, running in the mesentery 

 ventrally to the postcaval, made up by the union of the 

 mesenteric, gastric, and splenic veins, and entering the liver, 

 sending a branch to each lobe ; b, the transparent lymphatic 

 vessels (lacteals) in the mesentery. 



V. Tie two pieces of thread, about half-an-inch apart, 

 round the portal vein just before it enters the liver (the 

 hepatic artery and bile-duct may be included in the liga- 

 ture) ; cut through the rectum just anteriorly to the pelvic 

 cavity, and through the portal vein between the ligatures, 

 as well as through the mesenteric attachments of the stomach 

 and intestine, and remove these from, the body entire. 

 Unravel the intestine by cutting or tearing the mesentery 

 except that part of it in which the pancreas lies and spread 

 it out on the dissecting-board or in a large dissecting-dish, 

 arranging it so that the various subdivisions may easily be 

 distinguished from one another, and blowing it up with 



