and Structure of the Proteus Anguinus. 9 



3. Of the Organs of Digestion. 



The tongue of the Proteus through its greater part, is fleshy, 

 and is free both at its apex and on its edges ; it is supported, as 

 usual, by the os hyoides. The passage from \he fauces to the 

 stomach is very short ; nor is it easy to fix the place where the 

 oesophagus terminates. The stomach proceeds in a strait line, 

 is only a little larger than the intestines ; and, on a first view, 

 appears like a portion of them. The mem_brane that covers the 

 fauces, is continued into the stomach and intestines, forming 

 various rugce or longitudinal plaits, more than six or seven in 

 number. These plaits begin where the oesophagus commen- 

 ces ; they gradually disappear towards the middle of the stomach, 

 and become again conspicuous as they approach the pylorus, 

 where they are more raised than in any other part of the canal. 



The intestines are enveloped in a duplicature of peritonaeum, 

 which is continued through their whole length. They are 

 formed of very fine and transparent tunics, and make several 

 convolutions in their course. Their size is nearly uniform 

 throughout. In protei recently taken in summer, they always 

 contained foeces ; but in winter, neither the stomach nor intes- 

 tines contained any remnants of food. The internal organs of 

 generation in the male and female, as well as the kidneys, open 

 into the intestines, near the anus. 



The liver begins and terminates in a point ; it is so long, that 

 it extends through two thirds of the abdomen. In its left mar- 

 gin there are some fissures ; and in one deeper than the rest the 

 gall-bladder is lodged. The colour of this viscus is reddish, ap- 

 proaching to that of rust of iron ; and its surface is every where 

 speckled with small blackish spots. Its figure is convex below, 

 and concave above towards the spine. 



The spleen is a finger's breadth in length, and is placed by 

 the side of the stomach, to which it is attached by vasa brevia 

 and a doubUng of the peritoneum. 



The pancreas is only half the length of the spleen ; and is 

 attached to that portion of the alimentary canal which is imme- 

 diately below the stomach, and called duodenum. 



On the whole, the organs of digestion, as well primary as se- 

 condary, much resemble those of the aquatic salamander. In 

 these last, however, the stomach is somewhat curved, and placed 



B 



