492 



ON THE VENOUS SYSTEM OF VARANUS. 



from the stomach. Hochstetter noted its position in V. griseus^ 

 and Beddard in T^. nilotictis and exanthematicus . I find exactly 

 the same state of affairs in V. bengalensis. 



The ventral parieto-hejjatic veins {v.p.h.) are three in numbei'. 

 Two of these are laterally situated, and are connected with the 

 corresponding epigastric vein close to its entrance into the liver. 

 The third is a median vessel from the hinder end of the body, 

 which receives smaller branches from the sides and enters the 

 liver at the median sulcus near its anterior end. 



IV. The Siq^rarenal Veins (text-fig. 4, i, 2, 3). — The suprarenal 

 bodies are situated in front of the kidneys, and each encloses the 



Text-fiarure 4. 



The Posterior Vena Cava and its connections. 

 c, caudal vein; h., hypogastric; Tc., kidneys: p.v., posterior vena cava; 

 s.f., suprarenal body ; 1,2,3, veins forming the suprarenal portal system. 



corresponding bi'anch of the posterior vena cava. Each has its 

 own blood-supply ; the right suprarenal portal system consists of 

 three veins: one formed by the union of three vessels of the 

 lateral bod y- wall ; the second, from the body-wall near the 

 vertebral column ; and the third, from the omentum. The left 

 suprarenal portal is formed by two veins only, the vein which on 

 the right side runs close to the vertebral column being absent. 



The chief peculiarities of the venous system of Varmms bengal- 

 ensis are thus : — 



(1) The presence of jugular plexuses like those of birds, formed 

 by the external jugulars. 



(2) The azygos vein joins the right anterior vena cava, and 

 one of its branches forms an anastomosis with the dorsal parieto- 

 hepatic veins. 



(3) Presence of an ischio-mesenteric vein, and consequent 

 complication of the hepatic portal system. 



(4) The origin of the epigastric veins from the pelvic and not 

 from the sciatic. 



