1864.] DR. E. CRISP ON THE ANATOMY OF THE PORPOISE. 17 
It is known to most that there is a great difference of opinion as 
to the mode of entrance of one species of Fv/aria into Man, viz. the 
Guinea-worm (fF. medinensis), some supposing that it enters by the 
mouth, others by the skin. I think it is tolerably clear from the 
above statistics that the Filaria gracilis enters by the mouth, and 
creeps through the air-tubes or alimentary canal. In my next com- 
munication, I purpose introducing into my list other examples, of a 
more recent date, of the occurrence of entozoa in the Quadrumana. 
7. ON somE Parts or THE ANATOMY OF THE PORPOISE. 
By Epwarps Crisp, M.D., F.Z.S. 
The communication recently made by Mr. Buckland on his treat- 
ment of the living Porpoise (Phocena communis) lately brought by 
him to the Society’s Gardens induces me to offer a few remarks on 
the anatomy of this animal, in relation to its treatment in confine- 
ment. It will be remembered that a herring was forced into its 
throat, and that suffocation was thus probably induced. This animal 
has four stomachs; and the intestinal canal of one, 3 feet in length, 
that I recently dissected, measured 56 feet 3 inches. In larger spe- 
cimens I have found a greater length of tube; but the most remark- 
able circumstance connected with the intestines is the length and 
extent of the folds,—the mucous membrane in the greater part of 
the alimentary track being formed into six or seven duplicatures, so 
as to increase the absorbing surface to an enormous extent. 
The liver is bilobular, the pancreas large, the spleen small; the 
lungs are large and unilobular; but the air-tube presents one of the 
greatest peculiarities, and a knowledge of its conformation readily 
explains how quickly the animal may be suffocated by the introduc- 
tion of any large body into the pharynx. ‘There are only four tra- 
cheal rings before the origin of the first bronchial tube, and four 
below that previous to the division into the main bronchi; so that 
we have the curious anomaly, in some of the animals of this family, 
that the bronchial rings are six or seven times as numerous as the 
tracheal. The brain of the Porpoise is very large; that of the one 
spoken of above weighed 16 oz.; the eyes 318 grains. 
I have said enough to show that this animal, from the structure 
of its alimentary tube, requires a large and constant supply of food 
in confinement; and I moreover believe that there is no chance of 
its living out of salt water for any length of time. 
Proc. Zoou. Soc.—1864, No. II. 
