230 



BR. P. CHALMERS MITCHELL ON THE 



aside, whereupon it is visible, stretching backwards in close 

 association with the rectum, but without secoudary attachment 

 either to that or to the mesentery of Meckel's tract. Tlie 

 primitive mesentery is retained along the whole length of the 

 gut, quite unobscured by secondary attachments. 



The position of the cfecum beyond the extremity of the 

 pendant loop, and thus approaching the condition in most birds, 

 especially the liigher t3q3es of birds, is curious and very unlike 

 the common condition in mammals. 



Text-figure 24. 



Intestinal tract of SJiinopoma micropli-iilhcm. 

 Letterina- as in text-fiff. 22. 



In the other Chiroptera that I have examined there was no 

 cpecum, but the general form of the pattei'n when inifolded and 

 the mode of arrangement in the undisturbed body-cavity were 

 closely similar. The hind-gut was straight and relatively longer, 

 its proximal end approachiug \ev\ close to the duodenum. In 

 most species the minor loops of Meckel's tract were iiregularly 

 folded and lobed as in Jihinopoma, but in Artibeus (text-fig. 25) 

 they were I'elatively long (longer in propoi'tion than in the 

 diagram), and very straight. In the folded condition, the long 

 straight loops, closely packed together and bent over fi'om the 

 edge of the mesenterial expanse to which tlie}' were attached, 

 suggested a spiral conformation at first sight. 



In an example of Pterojms medms that I have recently 



