348 MR. F. E. BEDDARD ON THE [Feb. 16, 



two branches, just at its origin, in fact, from the aorta, a moderately 

 short branch is given off which very soon divides into two, one 

 running to the spleen, the other to the ovary. In the male 

 Tropidonotiis fasciatus this branch was entirely absent. The 

 inferior mesenteric springs from the aorta in both sexes close to 

 the second gonad artery, in front of it in the male, behind it in 

 the female. There are 4 well-developed intestinal arteries in 

 the female, of which the last supplies the rectum ; beyond this 

 are a few of less importance. 



Ovarian and Oviducal Arteries. — There is no independent artery 

 to the anterior ovary ; it gets it blood-supply from arteries which 

 also supply the oviduct ; and from the same branches arise twigs 

 for the supply of the fat-bodies. As is the case with other organs, 

 a longitudinal system of blood-vessels is developed, which are 

 fed by branches of the aorta. A longitudinal artery runs along 



Text- fig. 68. 



Sr.l 



Ovarian and oviducal arteries of one side of the body in Tropidonotus 

 fasciatus. 



^o., aorta; J'. B., fat-body artery ; Od, oviducal arteries ; Ou., ovarian arteries; 

 Sr. v., suprarenal veins (left white), suprarenal body shaded. 



the ovary and another of greater calibre along the oviduct. The 

 two are in communication by transverse branches. Of these 

 branches I have counted 7, the last four being the larger and 

 corresponding, together with branches arising behind the ovaiy, 

 to that section of the oviduct which contained no less than 10 

 mature ova. The middle artery of the seven is much the largest 

 and is a dii'ect continuation of the artery arising from the aorta, 

 which in other Ophidia supplies mainly, if not exclusively, the 

 gonad. Here, as will have been seen, the main branch is to the 

 oviduct. 



The longitudinal ovarian vessel is also in communication by 



