PLATANISTA. 447 



Intestines.— The small intestine varies from 24 feet 1 inch to 22 feet 2 inches 

 in specimens measuring from 6 to 5 J feet. Behind the pylorus, there is a well- 

 defined sac (PI. XXVI, fig. 1, IV), about 1-75 of an inch in length, formed by a 

 thickened and constricted ring in the intestinal wall. The inside of this sac is 

 marked by strong longitudinal folds with no trace of transverse ones. Another 

 short sac (fig. 5, i), slightly smaller, succeeds, and has its inner wall thrown into a 

 few longitudinal rugse. 



The ductus communis choledochus is situated at the termination of an oblong 

 eminence on the upper wall of tliis sac. Near its orifice (Fig. 5, o) the duct preserves 

 the character of the intestine, and is thrown into transverse folds like the valvules 

 conniventes (which latter are so strongly developed in this Cetacean), but, beyond 

 this, the mucous lining has a beautiful spongy texture (Figs. 6 and 7), like the 

 mucosa of a gravid uterus. 



The pancreatic duct opens into the ductus communis choledochus about the 

 middle of its course on its anterior wall, and the spongy texture passes into it 

 as well. I shall return to the consideration of it when we come to describe the 

 pancreas. 



The valvulse conniventes (PI. XXVI, fig. 4) begin to show themselves imme- 

 diately after the ductus communis choledochiis is passed, and they prevail so strongly 

 and in such quantity that it is sometimes difiicult to lay the canal open. These folds 

 as in Hyperoodon obtain throughout the small gut, except on its last 4 or 5 feet, where 

 occur short patches of longitudinal folds, about 2 inches long, alternating with long 

 tracts of transverse folds ; but in some conditions the last portion of the small 

 intestine, about two or three feet, has been found perfectly smooth, so that valvulse 

 conniventes appear to be alone persistent. They commence as a few short feeble 

 transverse folds, becoming more and more pronounced as they are traced backwards. 

 They are placed somewhat obKquely across the tube, in transverse section ; the 

 extremities of alternate folds seeming mutually to overlap each other, so that the 

 tract passed by the food is spiral. Some folds are much shorter than others, while 

 a few are connecting folds passing obliquely from one alternate series to another. 

 The folds are so deep that when the canal is cut across transversely the free margins 

 of alternate folds are seen to overlap, thus dividing oif the canal into a multitude 

 of little chambers. 



The small intestine (Pig. 11, i) is considerably contracted as it approaches the 

 great intestine, and the two communicate by a very smaU orifice sufficient only to 

 admit the passage of a crowquill in an individual five feet long. At the point where 

 the two join, there is a short diverticulum (Pig. 11, ccb), from the large intestine pro- 

 longed upwards as a caecum, 2 to 3-50 inches long, and having the same calibre as 

 the great gut ; and in this respect Flatmiista differs from all the toothed whales.^ 



The large intestine of the adult is two feet long, and it describes an abrupt 

 turn to the right on a line with the lower third of the kidney, indicating the com- 



1 Cuvier : Lemons d'Anat. Comparde, 2me. edit., t. iv, 2me. Pt., p. 268. Flower: Medical Times and Gazette, 

 1872, vol. ii, p. 428. 



