﻿OF 
  THE 
  PYTHON. 
  133 
  

  

  formed 
  of 
  branches 
  also 
  commencing 
  in 
  the 
  kidneys, 
  which 
  descends, 
  

   and, 
  as 
  already 
  explained, 
  terminates 
  in 
  the 
  spinal 
  circulation. 
  4. 
  On 
  

   each 
  side 
  of 
  the 
  spine, 
  between 
  the 
  anterior 
  faces 
  of 
  the 
  transverse 
  

   processes 
  and 
  the 
  sides 
  of 
  the 
  bodies 
  of 
  the 
  vertebrae, 
  passes 
  the 
  ver- 
  

   tebral 
  vein 
  already 
  alluded 
  to, 
  which 
  receives 
  the 
  intercostals 
  in 
  its 
  

   course, 
  and 
  also 
  communicates 
  with 
  the 
  interior 
  circulation 
  of 
  the 
  

   spinal 
  canal. 
  The 
  ultimate 
  termination 
  and 
  particular 
  forms 
  of 
  these 
  

   vertebra] 
  veins 
  or 
  sinuses, 
  were 
  not 
  satisfactorily 
  made 
  out; 
  it 
  was 
  merely 
  

   ascertained 
  by 
  a 
  mercurial 
  injection 
  that 
  they 
  ran 
  the 
  whole 
  length 
  of 
  

   the 
  spine, 
  and 
  formed 
  frequent 
  communications 
  with 
  the 
  vena 
  cava 
  as 
  

   well 
  as 
  with 
  other 
  veins. 
  A 
  pipe 
  having 
  been 
  fixed 
  in 
  one 
  of 
  the 
  veins 
  

   of 
  the 
  inferior 
  portion 
  of 
  the 
  body, 
  the 
  quicksilver 
  run 
  out 
  freely 
  from 
  

   the 
  spinal 
  canal 
  at 
  the 
  cut 
  extremity 
  of 
  the 
  neck, 
  from 
  which 
  the 
  head 
  

   had 
  been 
  removed; 
  thus, 
  to 
  avoid 
  any 
  particular 
  local 
  congestion, 
  it 
  

   would 
  seem 
  probable 
  that, 
  through 
  the 
  medium 
  of 
  the 
  double 
  circula- 
  

   tion 
  of 
  the 
  kidney, 
  aided 
  by 
  the 
  vertebral 
  veins, 
  the 
  several 
  divisions 
  

   of 
  the 
  venous 
  system 
  are 
  made 
  to 
  hold 
  free 
  communication. 
  

  

  With 
  much 
  regret 
  was 
  it 
  that 
  we 
  found 
  ourselves 
  obliged 
  to 
  sus- 
  

   pend 
  the 
  investigation 
  here. 
  We 
  hope, 
  however, 
  to 
  be 
  enabled 
  at 
  

   some 
  future 
  time 
  to 
  resume 
  the 
  study 
  of 
  the 
  structure 
  of 
  so 
  interesting 
  

   an 
  animal, 
  under 
  more 
  favourable 
  auspices, 
  and 
  to 
  do 
  it 
  more 
  justice. 
  

  

  vol. 
  v. 
  — 
  2 
  I 
  

  

  