MAMMALIA. 177 



and accompany the descending branch of the mesenteric artery to the lower portion 

 of the intestines. The principal portion of the lower splanchnic nerve gives off two 

 large branches for the kidney, these divide and follow the ramifications of the artery 

 into each lobe ; and although the lobes are separate, the nerves cannot be traced much 

 more satisfactorily than in a solid kidney. 



The lumbar portion of the sympathetic usually gives off several nerves, generally 

 branches from the inner side of the three or four superior ones communicate with the 

 semilunar ganglion, the renal, spermatic, aortic, and hypogastric plexuses ; these and 

 the rest of the lumbar ganglia, and the sacral, on the outer side, communicate with 

 corresponding spinal nerves, sometimes with more than one, and on the inner give 

 branches to the bloodvessels, the ligaments of the spine, the cellular membrane, and 

 absorbent vessels and glands. In the baboon and ass, the three first lumbar ganglia 

 of the sympathetic send branches to the semilunar ganglia, the renal, spermatic, and 

 aortic plexuses ; also in the fox, but they are, in this animal as well as the jaguar, very 

 slender. Each prolongation, towards the bottom of the sacrum, forms one or more 

 points of union, but coalesces on the caudal artery, from which nerves are continued 

 for the purpose of supplying the coats of this vessel : in the calf, each prolongation 

 terminates on this vessel in the single ganglion, from which a prolongation is 

 continued ; in the jaguar, each prolongation was traced into the tail, to be ultimately 

 distributed on this artery. In the porpoise, the prolongation is continued through the 

 lumbar region behind the psoas muscle ; it forms a ganglion and communicates with 

 each spinal nerve ; near the tail it passes forwards and gets into the canal formed by 

 the inferior arches of the vertebrae, and is continued onwards with the caudal vessels 

 for their supply, and on which it forms frequent communications with its fellow. 

 There are ganglia belonging to the dorsal portion of the prolongation and three distinct 

 ones to the beginning of the lumbar, which send branches to the four first lumbar 

 nerves ; below these there are not any distinct ganglia in the prolongation, but from 

 this branches are sent to the fifth, sixth, and seventh lumbar nerves ; to the next five, 

 constituting the internal pudendal and the caudal, the filaments communicating with 

 the spinal nerves are very small. 



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