398 DISSECTION OF THE PIGEON 



2. The ventricular portion is posterior, and forms the apex 

 of the cone. It is much thicker-walled than the 

 auricular portion, and paler in colour. The division 

 between right and left ventricles is not obvious 

 externally, 



B. The Veins. 



The veins should he dissected before the arteries, as they 

 lie for the most part nearer the sv/rface. Great care must be 

 taken not to cut or tear them, as bleeding occurs freely, and is 

 apt to be very troublesome. If a complete dissection is re- 

 quired, the venous system should be injected from either the 

 femoral or the jugular vein. 



1. Veins opening into the right auricle. The right auricle 

 receives the venous blood from the whole of the body 

 by three large veins, the venae cavae. 



a. The right anterior vena cava returns blood from 

 the right side of the head and neck, the right 

 wing, and the right side of the breast. 



It is a short wide vein, about a quarter of an 

 inch in length, opening iato the right anterior 

 angle of the right auricle : it is formed by the 

 union of three principal veins. 



i. The right jugular vein runs along the right side 

 of the neck, close to the vertebral colunm, and 

 dorsal to the oesophagus. 



Anteriorly it unites with the left jugular 

 vein, on the under surface of the base of the 

 skull. In its course down the neck it receives 

 veins from the side of the neck and from the 

 crop ; and at the posterior end of the neck it 

 is joined by the vertebral vein. 



ii. The right brachial vein returns blood from the 

 wing. 



iii. The right pectoral vein is the largest of the 

 three. It returns blood from the pectoral 

 muscles, and receives also the internal mam- 



