ALIMENTARY CANAL OF FISHES. 



417 



279 



Stomach and pan- 

 creas, PoJyptenit^. 



the cardiac as to make the crecal character of the latter doubtful 

 IS presented by the short and capacious stomach of tlie Burbot, the 

 Blenny, and the Gymnotus. In the Mormyrus 

 the stomach presents the rare form of a globular 

 sac, fig. 280, e. In the siphonal stomach of the 

 Oi/prhndcB and JJalixtidai the pylorus is little if at 

 all discernible, and the transition into intestine is 

 gradual. In the Salmon tlie intestine is indicated 

 by the pyloric appendages, fig. 286, c: in the 

 Sharks there is a true pylorus, and in Selache, fig. 

 278, an interposed pouch. Where the cajcal cha- 

 racter of the stomach is well marked, the length of 

 the blind end of the cardia varies considerably. 

 In the Turbot it is wide and short, fig. 287, b : 

 in the Sand-lance {Ammodytes) it is very large : in 

 the Polypterus, fig. 279, e, Conger, and Sword- 

 fish, fig. 282, it forms almost the whole of the 

 elongated stomach, the short pyloric portion, fig. 279,y, being 

 continued from near its commencement : in the equally elongated 

 stomach of the Pike, the pyloric portion is continued from the 

 cardiac sac at a little distance from its blind end ; the Herring, 

 Sprat, fig. 288, Whiting, fig. 285, Gurnard, and Scorprena show 

 an intermediate position of the pyloric portion, and this is usually 

 attended with a shorter and wider form of the cardiac crecuni. 

 The pyloric portion is iisually slender, fig. 278, c, or conical, figs. 

 28.5, 287 ; but it dilates into a wide sac in Sargus and Lophius ; 

 and forms a small oval pouch in Trachypterus. 



In certain Fishes the stomach deviates from the typical forms 

 either into the extreme of simplicity or the 

 converse, without, however, attaining in any 

 species that degree of complexity which 

 characterises some of the higher-organised 

 Vertebrates. A proper gastric compartment of 

 the alimentary canal cannot be said to exist in 

 the Lancelot : the long cascum, fig. 169, hd, I, 

 continued from it just beyond the cardia, 

 appears to be a simple form of liver. In the higher Dermoptm, 

 as the Sand-prides, the Myxines, and the Lampreys, as also 

 in Cobitis and Lepido.nre7i, the stomach is continued straight 

 from the oesoiihagus to the intestine. I have found the capa- 

 cious cardiac division of the stomach of tlie Lophius partially 

 divided into two sacs; the unusually wide and short pyloric 

 portion forming a third sac : there may also be observed a few 



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stomach and pancreas, 

 Murmyrus, 



