SYMPATHETIC NERVES OF THE TERRESTRIAL CARNIVORA. 



69 



The right recurrent laryngeal nerve (text-figs, 4,(^-ll,cZ) has the 

 usual origin, course, and relations. It may communicate with 

 the sympathetic and cardiac plexuses. In Meles meles (text- 

 fig. 2 D) a thick nerve unites it to the left recurrent nerve, and 

 in Mephitis mephitica (text -fig. 11 A) it forms a loop with the 

 right vagus, whence cardiac branches arise. 



The left vagus usually runs straight across the aortic arch, but 

 in Canis thous (text-fig. 5) it is very tortuous, and its branches 

 are also undulating, so the aortic arch is covered by sinuous 

 nerves. 



Text-figure 4. 



The lower cervical and thoracic parts of the vagus nerves in Felis hengalensis. 

 L.V. and R.V : left and right vago-sympathetic nerves ; V : vagi ; S • 

 synipathetics , A. P.P. and A'.P .P' : anterior pulmonary plexuses ; C.B.S : 

 cardiac branches of the sympathetic ; I.C.G : inferior cervical ganglion of 

 the sympathetic ; P.G : plexus guls ; T.C.S : thoracic sympathetic cords j' 

 d and e : right and left recurrent laryngeal nerves ; f: cardiac branches of 

 the vagus ; g and g' : pulmonary bran3hes of the vagus. 



The left recurrent laryngeal nerve (text-figs. 4,e-ll,e) arises 

 from any point in the vagus above, in front of, or below the 

 aortic arch. It has the usual course, relations, and termina- 

 tions. It gives twigs to the cardiac plexus, and it may com- 

 municate with the left anterior pulmonary plexus. 



Tracheal and oesophageal branches arise in the thorax, and the 

 former make a more or less complex plexus. 



Cardiac Nerves (text-figs. A^ f.f'-W, f.f): — In none of the 

 terrestrial Carnivora did I observe any cervical cardiac branches 



