186 Mammalia, 



The Pancreas may be distinguished from the fat by its rather 

 fleshy hue. 



The Large Intestine, which is often of a greenish colour, 

 should now be turned down towards the tail, disclosing the short 

 simple Caecum about an inch in length, the termination of the 

 small Intestine thereat in the shape of a white cord-like tube 

 about \-in. in diameter, coming down rather from the left side, 

 and the commencement of the large Intestine as a greenish 

 tube of larger calibre. The large Intestine may be traced 

 further by moving the small intestines to the left of the animal ; 

 and be seen to continue up the right side, and then straight 

 across the body to the middle line, at which point it assumes 

 an antero-posterior direction. By turning the Intestines over 

 to the right, the last section is seen to contract abruptly about 

 ll-in. from the anus to which it proceeds as ' rectum' in a direct 

 antero-posterior line. The size of the Intestinal canal of the 

 Rodent varies directly as the teeth. It is largest in those 

 species which have rootless molars, but is of moderate size, 

 and is more simple in form in those species, as the Rat 

 before us, which subsist less exclusively upon vegetable sub- 

 stances, and have rooted tubercular molars. 



As noted above, it will be now distinctly seen that the Large 

 Intestine (excepting Rectum) and Caecum are not kept in place 

 nor connected to the abdominal walls by folds of Peritoneum, 

 as is the case in Man, but are free, and not bound down. 



The Student should now turn over and spread out all across 

 the body, away from the Liver, the whole of the small intes- 

 tines, taking each coil separately, and placing them in order, 

 without tearing them, or injuring any structures in connection 

 with them. By this means he will be enabled to see the whole 

 of the Mesentery* supporting the Small Intestines, together 

 with the Mesenteric vessels, and the aggregation of Mesen- 

 teric glands, which form a knotted dark-coloured band, in the 



* jj.(Tog, middle; errefiov, intestine. 



