Prof. Reid on the Vogmarus Islandicus. 463 



tion of the oesophagus for %^ inches, and stretched backwards 

 for other 3 inches along the left side of that tube, so that on the 

 left side it measured 5^ inches. The gall-bladder was large. 



The kidneys were 14 inches in length, were not lobulated, 

 were much larger at their anterior extremity, and narrow and 

 cord-like at their middle and lower parts. Their anterior extre- 

 mity was placed close to the base of the cranium, and was com- 

 pressed laterally and elongated from above downwards. Their 

 middle and lower portions were inclosed in a canal formed by 

 the transverse processes of the vertebrse and the dense fibrous 

 membrane connecting these processes together, and the two kid- 

 neys were only separated from each other by a thin membranous 

 partition. The ureters entered the cavity of the abdomen, about 

 2 inches below the lower end of the kidneys, by perforating the 

 aponeurotic membrane which separates the kidneys from the 

 cavity of the abdomen ; they then continued their course back- 

 wards, having been united to form a single tube, along the upper 

 surface of the abdomen, tied closely down to the aponeurotic 

 membrane lining the abdomen. This tube, about 2^ inches be- 

 fore its termination on the external surface of the body, became 

 suddenly dilated to between twice and three times its former 

 calibre, and this continued for 1 inch of its course, forming a 

 small urinary bladder. The urinary tube terminated in an open- 

 ing immediately behind the anal orifice. 



The ovaries measured 15 inches in length, were flattened, and 

 their greatest breadth was y^2^^^ ^^ ^^ inch, and their average 

 breadth about -f^^^i^ of an inch. At first sight there appeared to 

 be only one ovary, but on closer examination it was found to con- 

 sist of two plicated bands of a light yellow colour — each consti- 

 tuting an ovarium — occupying the edges, while the central part 

 was formed only of the fold of peritoneum inclosing them. The 

 ova were all in a very early stage of their development. The 

 ovaries in the posterior part of their course were closely united 

 to the ureter. As they were broken across accidentally at the lower 

 part, I did not succeed in tracing the oviduct ; but finding a duct 

 joining itself to the urinary canal near its termination, I thought 

 it probable that this was the termination of the oviduct. No 

 air-bladder was present. 



Vertebral Column. — The vertebral column was destitute of 

 osseous texture, and contained 97 vertebrse — 38 abdominal and 

 59 caudal — each of which was hollowed out before and behind 

 into a cup-shaped cavity. Their lateral external surfaces pre- 

 sented, in general, each five longitudinal slightly elevated ridges, 

 and the articulating edges of the cup-shaped cavities were a little 

 more prominent than the middle part of the vertebra. In the 

 bodies of the caudal vertebrse a prominent longitudinal ridge oc- 



