68 CARNIVORA. 



The contents of the thorax are as common : the left lung has two 

 lobes, and these distinct at the root for some distance ; the right lung 

 has three lohes, besides the uncommon one [lobulus azygos, between the 

 heart and diaphragm]. 



The oesophagus below the heart passes through the posterior medias- 

 tinum, but in no [special pleural] cavity, as in some animals. The 

 stomach has hardly any pylorus, only a constrictor, and that a very 

 small one. The duodenum, as it passes behind the mesentery, and 

 upon the left of it, is closely connected ; as it is likewise to the meso- 

 rectum and to the loins, by a thin membrane. The jejunum, colon, and 

 rectum are as in other animals. The colon does not adhere to the root 

 of the mesentery so closely, as it passes before it ; but has a shorter and 

 stronger mesocolon there than in any other part of its course. The 

 length of the whole [canal] was three times and a half the length of the 

 body ; what we may call colon, [being] within one-half the length of the 

 animal. There are two large bags, at the sides of the anus, filled with 

 a yellow but very foetid smelling matter 1 . 



The liver is exactly as in other animals, and is divided into five lobes, 

 besides the lobulus Spigelii ; and there is a small lobe, about the bigness 

 of a pea, lying upon the vena portae, near the liver. The gall-bladder 

 is not to be seen, lying in a hole of the middle lobe. The epiploon and 

 the pancreas are as in other animals. The spleen is much as in a dog, 

 but rather shorter in proportion. The right kidney is a good deal higher 

 than the left. The capsula renalis of the right side is attached to the 

 mesenteric vein, or to the vena portarum. 



The eye is as in the white racoon. The skin about the edge of the 

 eyelid is white. Two puncta lacrymalia. Hardly any tarsus. The 

 glandula lacrymalis is oblong, situated at the inner canthus, like a 

 bird's, and the duct is very short and pretty wide ; it opens at the 

 inner canthus behind the membrana nictitans, as in the bird. There is 

 a membrana nictitans, but not so complete as in the bird : it is in the 

 middle somewhat cartilaginous through its whole breadth, which carti- 

 lage is very thin at the edge of the membrane, and seems to keep the 

 membrane from being thrown into wrinkles when it is drawn over the 

 eye. It is upon the posterior part of this cartilage, near its attach- 

 ment, where the duct of the [Harderian] lacrymal gland enters. 



When we look at the eye of a ferret it seems to shine, and the pupil 

 is very much contracted, as it is of an oval figure ; it comes so close as 

 to represent a line. Still we can see into the cavity of the eye through 

 the iris, so that the iris is serai- opake, which enables the animal to see 



1 [Hunt. Prep. No. 2140. Home, Conip. Anat. i. p. 431.] 



