a Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [N.S., XIX, 
trachea, so that most of the blood which entered the right 
systemic arch was forced into the epigastrics : these arteries 
were thus distended and made conspicuous throughout their 
course. In this way the exact distribution of these vessels 
was traced. It is interesting to note that the two epigastric 
arteries are not symmetrical in their mie can eh 
(a) The Right Epigastric artery (Fig. 
vessel, on reaching the posterior border ok nie last stein’ 
rib, divides into two. One of these branches (p.) runs forwards 
muscles in the ventral region. The other branch runs back- 
wards along the outer (ventral) side of the epigastric vein, 
and ramifies over the body-wall; it also sends a branch to the 
fat body, over which it ramifies, probably anastomosing there 
with the posterior epigastric artery. 
(b) The Left Epigastric artery (ep. a. 2) has the same 
course as has been described for the right, but it gives off an 
additional branch about an inch beyond its origin from the 
body- -wall ; (ii) the hepatic artery (he. = which enters the liver 
at the anterior end of the median sulcu 
I may mention here that I have rot been able to trace 
any vessel corresponding to the epigastric of Varanus in Uro- 
mastiz and Hemidactylus. In vertebrates the epigastric is 
generally described as originating from the subclavian; the 
origin of an epigastric artery, supplying the liver, fat body, 
and body-wall, from the root of the common carotid is very 
peculiar ; it is not found in any of the Lacertilia, and J am 
not aware of any similar vessel in any other vertebrate. 
Without going into the significance of this vessel, I may point 
out that it carries to the liver and body-wall a part of the 
pure blood meant for the supply of the brain 
: Each carotid artery gives off the following branches in 
the neck :— 
(i) The Thyroid artery, for the thyroid gland. 
(ii) The Oesophageal artery (oe.) arising about an inch 
above the bifurcation and curving round to be distributed on 
the oesophagus. 
(iii) The A yoidean artery (h.) arises a little in front of the 
cesophageal, and runs to the muscles of the hyoid 
Gv) The Lingual artery (1.) goes to the tongue. 
t the base of the skull each carotid artery divides into 
the en cerebral and palatine branches. One notable feature 
in this part of the system is the entire absence of the Ductus 
caroticus (O’Donoghue, 10); this is present, however, in the 
other two lizards which I have investigated. 
(B) The Subclavian artery (Fig. 1,s.) also arises from 
the right systemic arch, but after the latter has curved over 



