Mr. Holberton oii the Anatomy of Testudo tahiilata. 325 



to the .lortce. In the natural state of the animal, whilst breathing freely, 

 it is easy to conceive that the blood of the left side will pass across to the 

 aortic openings, with little admixture in its transit across the right ven- 

 tricle. 



The sponge-like structure of the walls of the ventricles may admit of a 

 ready passage for the blood, from one side to the other through its sub- 

 stance, but no direct opening could be perceived, and none is believed to 

 exist, although in a preparation in the Hunterian collection such a passage 



is attempted to be shewn. 



Mr. Clift, jun. has taken a drawing of these appearances, which will 



be deposited in the Museum of the Society. 



Art. XLII. Notes taken during the examination of a Speci- 

 men of Testudo tuhiilata, ivhich lately died ift the Collection 

 of the Zoological Society. By Thomas Henry Holber- 

 ton, Eag., 3I.R.C.S., Sfc. 



The shell was sawn through in a line drawn from the axilla to the 

 groin, and on raising the abdominal part, a strong tendinous membrane 

 was found adhering firmly to its centre ; attached also to the muscles 

 which arise from its anterior and posterior thirds and pass to the respec- 

 tive extremities. This membrane then closely covered the lungs on either 

 side, extended across the upper part of the abdomen, forming a tendinous 

 diaphragm, and was continued over the abdominal viscera as peritoneum, 

 being here more delicate in its structure. 



The liver was composed principally of a right and left lobe, the latter 

 receiving in a hollow a portion of the cardiac end of the stomach. With 

 the former the duodennm lay in contact. On the inferior surface of the 

 liver were several smaller lobes or appendages, the most remarkable of 

 which was one, an inch and half in length, and a quarter of an inch in 

 breadth, connected to the rest of the liver only by its base at i\\e fundus 

 of the gall-bladder, with which it exactly corresponded in size. 



The stomach was a simple bag : the muscular coat very strong in pro- 

 portion to the other two, and its fibres circular. Although they appeared 



