THE GREAT ANTEATER. 121 



One common duplkature of peritoneum, continued from the middle of the back 

 part of the abdomen, and eighteen inches in extent where it is broadest, at the 

 junction of the ileum with the colon, supports the whole intestinal canal, as in most 

 reptiles, — mesentery, mesocolon and mesorectum being one and the same fold : the 

 shorter diameter of this fold is from eight to ten inches. The mesenteric part is 

 puckered to support the convolutions of the small intestines. A mesenteric gland of a 

 dark colour is continued along the base-line of these plicae for the extent of sixteen 

 inches, beginning at the duodenal end of the pancreas and ending with the ileum. 

 Parallel with this, on what may be regarded as the base-line of the mesocolon, are a 

 number of detached glands of the same dark colour, and flattened, like the long 

 mesenteric gland, but of a subcircular form, and from three lines to twelve hnes in 

 diameter. The mesenteric artery forms one series of arches, with their convexity at 

 from six to twelve lines distance from the gut. The mesocolic vessels form also one 

 series of arches, which are close to the gut. 



The duodenum, arching round the head of the pancreas, is suspended on the beginning 

 of the mesentery, where it is from two to three inches broad ; and it is continued into 

 the jejunum without being tied by a contraction of the mesentery to the back of the 

 abdomen, as in most Mammalia. The right lobe of the liver is suspended to the dome 

 of the diaphragm by a right coronary ligament, and a dupHcature of peritoneum con- 

 nects the extremity of that hepatic lobe to the upper part of the right kidney. There 

 is also a left coronary ligament : a fold of peritoneum two inches broad connects the 

 left lobe of the hver with the stomach at the fore part of the cardia ; and a more posterior 

 fold connects the left lobe of the liver to the left suprarenal body and left kidney. The 

 peritoneum passes over the under surface (sternal aspect) of the kidneys, and over 

 the same part of the right suprarenal body : it afibrds a more entire covering to the left 

 suprarenal body. The peritoneal folds called ' broad ligaments ' begin to be reflected 

 from the front of the lower ends of the kidneys, converging to sustain the ovaria and 

 enclose the ovarian ligaments, fallopian tubes, uterus, and ureters. The urinary bladder 

 was empty and corrugated : the urachal fold, reflected from the middle of its fore part 

 to near the fundus, expands as it extends to the lower part of the linea alba, terminating 

 above at the obliterated umbilicus which is situated six inches above the symphysis 

 pubis. A flat glandular body about the size of an almond was situated in the urachal 

 fold : it might be the debris of part of an umbiHcal sac. Two narrow ureteral folds of 

 peritoneum diverge from the back part of the urinary bladder to the broad liga- 

 ments. 



The leagtli of the female from the muzzle to the vent was four feet seven inches ; the 

 length of the head was fourteen inches ; that of the tail thirty-three inches. The total 

 length of the intestinal canal was thirty-four feet ; the small intestines measuring thirty 

 feet in length. The ileum dilates rapidly into the colon, which commences without any 

 caecal projection. The greatest circumference of the duodenum is two and a half inches : 



VOL. IV. PART IV. T 



