602 MR. F. E. BEDDARD ON THE ANATOMY OF [May 26, 



Macropus ualahatus were much the same, but I did not observe 

 the parietal branch of tlie suprarenal vein. 



This state of ajffaii's ma}- now be compared with that observable 

 in the higher Mammalia. In an example of Nasv.a rufa the 

 veins in question had the disposition shown in text-figure 124, 0. 

 There is, as in the Marsupials already dealt with, a vein arising 

 from the parietal musculature anteriorly. It arises by two main 

 branches. But the vein formed by the junction of these passes 

 ultimately to the left side of the suprarenal body, and receiving 

 from it the suprarenal vein opens into the left renal vein. The 

 parietal vein in fact does not touch the sujjrarenal body ; it is 

 merely an affluent of the suprarenal vein. It may be, however, 

 the homologue of the vein in the Dasyure which enters the supra- 

 renal body. On the right side of the body there was much the 

 same disposition of veins observable. But the suprarenal vein 

 poured its contents into the parietal vein which passes over the 

 suprarenal body and was directed outwards to the right at right 

 angles to the longitudinal axis of the body. These details were 

 worth recording inasmuch as in a second example of Nasua rufa, 

 and of the opposite sex, the same arrangements were met with and 

 were alike in every detail. 



Reverting to the Marsupials, an example of Peragale lagotis 

 showed essentially the same disposition of the vein running into 

 or from the suprarenal body that, has been described in 

 Dasi/urics. In this Mai'supial the supi'arenal vein entered the 

 postcaval independently of and anterior to the renal vein on the 

 left side of the body. The suprarenal body received two affluents 

 from the parietes. The first of these was a vein formed by the 

 union of two branches which entered the gland anteriorly, and 

 evidently is to be compared to the vein described above in 

 DasyifjTus maugcei. The second vein passes by the anteiior end 

 of the left kidney and enters the suprarenal body at about the 

 middle of its length on the left side. In the Common Phalanger 

 {Trichosu7'us vulpecitla) the same evidence of a suprarenal poi'tal 

 system was obvious. In this case also the anterior suprarenal 

 poi'tal vein was present, and no other. The suprarenal vein 

 entered the left kidney vein. Macrojnts dorsalis had l)ut one 

 suprarenal portal, the anterior vein, which is apparently so constant 

 among the Marsupials and which arose from two affluents. In 

 the featvires described in the present communication, Petrogale 

 penicillata is exactl)^ like Trichosurus vulpecula. Phascologale 

 penicillata is slightly different from any of the Marsupials as yet 

 described. The suprarenal vein opens, as is so frequently the case, 

 into the renal vein on the left side of the body. Exactly opposite 

 to it the suprarenal portal opens into the suprarenal body. But 

 this vein before entering the gland receives a branch running 

 transversely and just skirting the anterior mai'gin of the left 

 kidney, the conditions being therefore slightly like those of 

 Peragale just described, and indeed intermediate between the 

 condition observable in that Marsupial and in those where the 



