2o8 VERTEBRATES 



What is the use of the sympathetic nervous system? 



(2) Just under the femoral artery of the hind leg find 

 the sciatic nerve, which may be traced into the leg and 

 also back to the vertebral column. What is the office of 

 the sciatic nerve? Do you suppose the rabbit ever has 

 an attack of sciatica? Look at the vertebral column on 

 both outside and inside and find the spinal nerves. How 

 many? To what parts do they go? Make a diagram of 

 the spinal system as you have found it. 



(3) Remove the brain from alcohol and lay it down 

 with dorsal side up. The following parts are easily dis- 

 tinguished : The cerebral hemispheres, beneath which are 

 the olfactory lobes, and back of which is the cerebellum, 

 and the medulla oblongata, tapering posteriorly to the spinal 

 cord. Between the cerebrum and the cerebellum may be 

 seen the pineal body and the optic .lobes. Draw dorsal view 

 of brain (Xi)- From the ventral side of the brain may 

 be seen the twelve pairs of cranial nerves, which may be 

 more easily found by reference to the drawing below. Find 

 the roots of each of these, and tabulate them, giving the 

 uses of each. 



Compare the brain of the rabbit with that of the pigeon. 

 (See page 189.) 



If the brain has been removed carefully, the ventral side 

 will resemble the cut on the following page. On the right 

 side of the cut the temporal lobe has been removed to show 

 the corpus geniculatum and several other parts that would 

 otherwise be covered. 



By putting the brain of the rabbit in the same position 

 as the one shown in the cut the various parts may be found 

 and drawn. 



