10 Observations on the Natural History 



a little transversely ; and the intestines are evidently divisible 

 into large and small, and are, moreover, furnished with fatty 

 appendages. A general idea of the relative size and position 

 of these several viscera, is exhibited in Plate VII. Fig. 1. 



4. Of certain Opinions of MM. Schreibers and Cuvier, re- 

 garding the length and figure of the Alimentary Canal. 



Before quitting these organs, it is proper to notice a difference 

 of opinion between MM. Schreibers and Cuvier, with respect 

 to the length and figure of the alimentary canal. The former 

 exhibits figures, from which we learn that the intestines, before 

 they open externally, make several convolutions ; the latter, on 

 the contrary, affirms, that the alimentary canal proceeds almost 

 in a straight line from the mouth to the anus. A simple state- 

 ment of the appearances exhibited by the several protei examin- 

 ed by the authors, and their observations thereon, will account 

 for this disparity of opinion, and explain its cause. 



The three first protei they dissected, had been preserved 

 about seven months in ardent spirits, (brandy,) and in all the 

 three the intestines were convoluted. They then killed and 

 injected a living proteus, and immediately afterwards opened the 

 abdomen, and found the intestines, as in the former examples, to 

 possess a convoluted form. The following summer they re- 

 ceived eight other protei, five of which had died on the journey, 

 and were put into spirits, and the three others arrived in a very 

 lively condition. They proceeded at once to anatomise the five 

 dead ones ; and found in all of them the intestinal canal almost 

 strait, as described by Cuvier. Perplexed by these opposite 

 appearances, they formed several conjectures as to their cause ; 

 but these afforded little satisfaction to the mind, when, in the 

 midst of their doubts, accident at length enabled them to dis- 

 cover the truth. In the succeeding autumn, they obtained a 

 fresh supply of living protei, similar in all respects to those 

 which had arrived in May. One of these was killed and inject- 

 ed ; and afterwards, on opening the abdomen, the intestines ap- 

 peared convoluted, and similar in length to those of the protei 

 jirst examined. These facts being observed and recorded, the 

 animal was put into spirits for a second examination at a future 



