ON THE VAGUS NERVES OF THE TERRESTRIAL CARNIVOKA. 65 



7. On the Vagus and Sympathetic Nerves of the Terres- 

 trial Carnivora. By Charles F. Sonntag, M.D., 

 .F.Z.S., Anatomist to the Society. 



[Received October 2, 1922 : Read February 6, 1923.] 



(Text-figures 1-14.) 



The course, relations, and branches of the vagus and sym- 

 pathetic nerves in the dog and cat are described in text-books, 

 and Swan (1) has recorded some of the conditions present in the 

 fox, jaguar, and porpoise. But no account of these nerves in 

 the entire group of terrestrial Carnivora has been published. 

 In the present paper, which is based on the examination of 

 animals which died in the Society's Gardens, the conditions 

 present in representatives of all families except the Hy^enidfe. 

 Protelidae and Cryptoproctidse, are described. The course and 

 relations in all forms resemble those in the dog and cat. 



The cervical parts of the vagus and sympathetic nerves may be 

 fused or separate, or both forms may be present in the neck of 

 the same animal. 



The cervical parts are fused in : — 



Family Felidse: — Felis domestica, F. onca, F. sylvestris, F. hen- 

 galensis ; Family Yiverridse : — Nandinia hinotata, Viverra civetta, 

 Civettictis civetta, Viver7'icida malaccensis, Faradoxurus larvatus 

 Mungos mungo, M. ichnett.mon, Atilax paludinosus, Cynictis peni- 

 cillata; Family Canidse : — Ganis familiaris, C. thous, C. hen- 



galensis, Vulpes vulpes, Lycaon pictt(,s ; Family Mustelidse : 



Mustela martes, Meles meles, Putorms vison, Mephitis mephitica 

 Ictonyx zorilla; Family 'Pvocyonidse.-.—Procyon lotor, Nasua 

 narica ; Family Ursidse : — Melursus ursinus. The degree of 

 fusion varies. It may consist of an intimate mingling- of the 

 fibres, or the nerves may be easily separated when the fused 

 sheaths are divided. The fusion may occur low down or hio-h up. 

 It is most extensive in JVmidinia binotata, in which the gano-lion 

 nodosum of the vagus, and the superior cervical ganglion of the 

 sympathetic are fused to form a lobulated mass (text-fig. lA). 

 The vagus and inferior cervical ganglion are fused in Canis thous 

 (text-fig. 5), Faradoxurus larvatus (text-fig. 6^, and Civettictis 

 civetta (text-fig. 7 B). The cervical parts are separate in Genetia 

 felina, Faradoxurus hermaphroditiis, and Ailurus fulgens. Both 

 forms are present in the same animal in a specimen of Lutra 

 maculicollis, the nerves being fused on the left side and separate 

 on the right*. 



* A similar condition has already been recorded in Tamandna tetradactyla (^) 

 and in AntJiropopitJiecvs troglodytes. 



PBGC. ZooL. Soc— 1923, No. V. 5 



